Core Insights - CME Group has launched Spot-Quoted futures for XRP and Solana, expanding its crypto derivatives lineup to trade closer to real-time market prices [1] - The new contracts are designed to track the spot price directly, unlike traditional futures which may trade at a premium or discount [1] Group 1: Product Launch and Structure - The Spot-Quoted futures for XRP and Solana mirror the structure of existing Spot-Quoted Bitcoin and Ether futures [1] - These contracts are CME's smallest crypto contracts to date, targeting active participants who prefer trading in spot market terms without managing contract expiries or rollovers [2] Group 2: Market Demand and Performance - Since their launch in June, Spot-Quoted Bitcoin and Ether contracts have seen over 1.3 million contracts traded, with an average daily volume of 11,300 contracts [3] - A record of 60,700 contracts was traded on November 24, indicating strong market interest [3] Group 3: Additional Features - CME has activated Trading at Settlement (TAS) for XRP, SOL, and their respective Micro futures, allowing traders to execute contracts at a spread to the 4:00 p.m. ET settlement price [4] - TAS is particularly useful for managing risk around crypto ETFs and allows for block trades and anonymous order book activity via CME Globex [4] Group 4: Recent Developments - The launch of Spot-Quoted futures follows CME Group's introduction of options on SOL, Micro SOL, XRP, and Micro XRP futures in October [5]

Core Insights - CME Group set a new single-day record for cryptocurrency futures and options trading with 794,903 contracts on November 21, surpassing the previous record from August, indicating a surge in demand for regulated crypto derivatives during volatile market conditions [1] Group 1: Trading Activity - The Chicago-based exchange has experienced a continuous increase in activity within its crypto suite throughout 2025, driven by both institutional and retail investors [2] - CME's year-to-date average daily volume (ADV) for crypto now stands at 270,900 contracts, valued at $12 billion in notional terms, reflecting a 132% increase compared to the same period last year [4] - In the fourth quarter of 2025, average daily volume has surged by 106% from the same period in 2024, reaching 403,200 contracts with a notional value of $14.2 billion [5] Group 2: Open Interest - Open interest, which represents the number of outstanding contracts, has risen by 82% year-over-year to 299,700 contracts, totaling $26.6 billion in notional value [4] - For the fourth quarter alone, open interest grew by 117%, totaling 493,700 contracts valued at $35.4 billion [5] Group 3: Market Demand - The increase in trading volume indicates a growing interest among investors for regulated exposure to crypto markets, even amidst ongoing uncertainty [6] - Giovanni Vicioso, CME's global head of cryptocurrency products, noted that the rising demand reflects the need for tools that assist in managing risk in an unpredictable market [2]

Core Viewpoint - Coinbase Markets is set to launch 24/7 futures trading for various altcoins, responding to increasing demand for continuous access to crypto derivatives [1] Group 1: Expansion of Trading Hours - Starting December 5, futures for altcoins including Avalanche (AVAX), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Cardano (ADA), and others will be available for trading around the clock [1] - This expansion builds on existing always-on markets for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP, which include both standard and nano-sized contracts [2] Group 2: Introduction of New Futures Contracts - Coinbase is working on introducing U.S. perpetual-style futures for the same basket of altcoins, which will settle on a five-year expiry rather than the indefinite format used offshore [2][3] - The exchange previously launched 24/7 BTC and ETH futures in May and long-dated futures in July, establishing itself as a compliant venue for these products in the U.S. [3] Group 3: Market Dynamics - Most liquidity for non-BTC/ETH futures currently resides offshore, particularly on platforms like Binance and Bybit [4] - A U.S. alternative with deeper institutional access and clearer regulations may gradually attract order flow, especially amid volatile funding markets and ongoing regulatory pressures [4]

🗞️ Need to catch up on the news? Here's our top 10 from today:🔸 VanEck files S-1 for a Lido Staked Ethereum ETF.🔹 BitMine’s Tom Lee says Ethereum remains “Wall Street’s blockchain,” but warns the digital asset treasury sector may already be in a bubble.🔸 Gold becomes the first asset in history to surpass a $30 trillion market cap.🔹 SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce said tokenization is a “huge focus now” for the agency and urged stronger protections for financial privacy at the DC Privacy Summit.🔸 Andreessen H ...

📊 UPDATE: CME Group reports record-breaking Q3 2025 crypto derivatives activity, over $901B in volume. https://t.co/hrClpaGitZ ...

Core Insights - CME Group has launched new options on Solana (SOL) and XRP futures, enhancing trading capabilities for clients [1][3] - The first trades for these options occurred on October 12 and 13, 2023, indicating immediate market engagement [2] - The introduction of these options reflects the growing sophistication and demand for diverse crypto instruments among market participants [3] Company Developments - CME Group's new options suite includes daily, monthly, and quarterly expiries for SOL and XRP futures [1] - The launch is seen as a significant step in expanding the range of listed crypto derivatives beyond Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) [3] - Early support from a variety of clients suggests a positive reception and potential for increased liquidity in the crypto options market [3] Market Trends - The crypto market is maturing, with participants seeking to manage exposure and explore new investment opportunities [3] - Institutional interest in crypto derivatives is growing, as evidenced by the participation of firms like Wintermute, Superstate, Cumberland, and Galaxy in the first trades [2][3] - The demand for more trading options in digital assets is driving innovation and expanding institutional access to emerging blockchain ecosystems [3]

🚨CME Group launched CFTC-regulated Solana ( $SOL) and $XRP options.This is more than just a listing, it’s a signal of institutional validation.Here’s why it matters 👇1️⃣ CME only lists assets with strong liquidity and demand.2️⃣ CFTC regulation = full compliance for institutional trading.3️⃣ Expands crypto derivatives beyond BTC & ETH — a sign of market maturity.SOL and XRP are now officially part of traditional finance’s playbook. ⚡Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph):🚨 LATEST: CME Group has launched CFTC-regula ...

Core Insights - Bullish, a digital assets platform listed on NYSE and parent company of CoinDesk, is set to launch crypto options trading on October 8 [1] - The options will be margined and settled in USDC, a stablecoin with a market cap of $73.85 billion, and will feature European-style options with expiries from three weeks to three months [2] - The exchange plans to expand its offerings to include options tied to ether and other indices, reflecting a broader industry trend towards increased demand for hedging instruments in the crypto market [3] Company Developments - Bullish is significantly investing in its institutional offerings, evolving from spot trading to include margin, perpetual, and dated futures, culminating in the introduction of options [4] - The new options product aims to provide a comprehensive derivatives suite that enhances capital efficiency and risk mitigation, accessible through a unified trading account [4] Product Features - Options are derivative contracts that allow the holder the right to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price within a specified timeframe, with call options indicating a bullish market stance and put options providing downside protection [5] - The unique aspect of options trading is its ability to facilitate three-dimensional trading, enabling traders to speculate on price direction, volatility, and time to expiration, thus allowing for more tailored risk management strategies [6] Market Collaboration - Bullish's options have been developed in collaboration with leading options market makers, technology providers, and brokers to cater specifically to the needs of institutional investors [7]

Company Overview - Figure Technologies is a blockchain lender that has begun trading on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "FIGR" after raising $787.5 million through an initial public offering (IPO) [1] - The company sold 31.5 million shares at $25 each, valuing Figure at $5.29 billion with 211 million shares outstanding [2][3] - Figure claims to be the largest non-bank provider of home equity financing, having originated $16 billion in home loans since its inception in 2018 [4] IPO Details - The IPO was upsized from an initial target range of $20 to $22 per share for 26 million shares, indicating strong demand [2][3] - Figure itself raised $587 million from the IPO, as it is not receiving proceeds from shares sold by existing investors [3] - The lead underwriters for the IPO included Goldman Sachs and BofA Securities [3] Market Position and Technology - Figure utilizes a blockchain-based platform to facilitate lending, allowing for quicker approval and funding for home equity lines of credit (HELOC) [5] - The company has $11.7 billion in outstanding loans represented on-chain, significantly higher than its competitors, Tradable and Maple Finance, which have $2.1 billion and $1.2 billion in loans, respectively [5] - Figure's HELOC loans are represented by tokens that rank among the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, currently valued at $12.5 billion [6]

Core Insights - Swiss asset manager 21Shares has launched a new exchange-traded product (ETP) linked to dYdX's native token, DYDX, aimed at providing regulated access to a major decentralized derivatives protocol [1][2] - The new ETP allows investors to buy and sell exposure to digital assets on stock exchanges, with a focus on institutional-grade access to decentralized exchanges offering perpetual futures contracts [3][5] Group 1 - The dYdX ETP began trading this week, supported by the dYdX Treasury subDAO and operated by kpk, marking an extension of 21Shares' DeFi-focused product range [1][3] - dYdX has achieved over $1.4 trillion in cumulative trading volume across 230 perpetual markets, although institutional participation has faced challenges due to custody and compliance issues [2] - The product is designed to ensure liquidity and efficient pricing through market maker Flow Traders, with daily creations and redemptions to maintain alignment with net asset value [4] Group 2 - The ETP suite from 21Shares, including products for Aave, ChainLink, and Uniswap, aims to provide investors with the ability to allocate selectively or holistically to key components of DeFi infrastructure [4] - The introduction of the dYdX ETP reflects the ongoing evolution of DeFi, allowing decentralized derivatives to be packaged into transparent, exchange-traded products [5] - The CEO of the dYdX Foundation emphasized that the new product empowers institutions to leverage DYDX's technology, which is redefining the $28 trillion crypto derivatives market [5]