Accessibility StatementSkip Navigation CHICAGO, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced plans to launch options on Solana (SOL) and XRP futures on October 13, 2025, pending regulatory review. With the launch of these new products, clients will have the ability to trade options on SOL, Micro SOL, XRP, and Micro XRP futures, with expiries available every day of the business week, every month and every quarter. "The launch of these options contract ...

Market Overview - In 2025, markets are experiencing high volatility, with NASDAQ and S&P 500 indices reaching all-time highs despite uncertain economic indicators [1][2] - Analysts anticipate clearer monetary and tariff policies in the second half of the year, along with solid earnings reports, particularly in the tech sector driven by AI [2] Company Insights - **CME Group**: - Operates the largest derivatives marketplace, benefiting from increased trading volumes in volatile markets [5] - Stock has risen over 40% in the last 12 months and over 18% in 2025, showing signs of recovery after a pullback [6][7] - **Goldman Sachs**: - A leading global investment bank that thrives in volatile markets, generating revenue from expanded bid-ask spreads and increased trading activity [9][10] - Stock is up 23.8% in 2025, with bullish momentum but potential for a short-term pullback [11] - **MarketAxess**: - Operates an electronic trading platform for corporate bonds, expected to benefit from increased trading volumes as credit market volatility rises [13][14] - Stock is down 1.5% in 2025 but has shown a 3.1% increase in the last three months, indicating a potential breakout [15][16]

Core Insights - CME Group reported the highest May average daily volume (ADV) on record at 28.9 million contracts, marking an 11% increase year-over-year [1] - The company continues to lead in the derivatives marketplace, offering a wide range of products across various asset classes [1] Volume Highlights - Record May ADV in interest rate products reached 16.2 million contracts [3] - SOFR futures ADV grew by 31% compared to May 2024, totaling 4 million contracts [2][3] - International ADV increased by 15% to 8.7 million contracts, with EMEA ADV up 14% and Asia ADV up 24% [3] Product Performance - Equity Index ADV was 6.6 million contracts, with Micro E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures increasing by 37% to 1.5 million contracts and Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures increasing by 60% to 1.3 million contracts [3] - Energy ADV reached 2.6 million contracts, with record May Energy options ADV of 445,000 contracts [3] - Metals ADV increased by 8%, with record monthly Micro Gold futures ADV of 347,000 contracts [3] - Cryptocurrency ADV surged by 145%, with record monthly Ether futures ADV of 17,000 contracts and Micro Ether futures ADV increasing by 235% to 92,000 contracts [3] Repo and FX Markets - BrokerTec U.S. Repo average daily notional value (ADNV) increased by 28.6% to $352 billion, while European Repo ADNV increased by 3% to €306.7 billion [3] - EBS Spot FX ADNV increased by 27% to $67.8 billion, and FX Link ADV increased by 52% to 43,000 contracts, representing $2.9 billion notional per leg [3] Collateral Balances - Customer average collateral balances for the rolling 3-months ending April 2025 were $97.2 billion for cash collateral and $162.9 billion for non-cash collateral [3]

Group 1 - CME Group announced record trading volume and open interest in its battery metals complex, with 2,587 contracts traded on May 29, surpassing the previous record of 2,301 contracts set on February 11, 2025 [1] - The combined open interest reached an all-time high of 64,387 contracts [1] - The growth was driven by benchmark Lithium Hydroxide and Cobalt Metal futures, each exceeding 1,000 contracts traded in a single day for the first time [2] Group 2 - Average daily volume year-to-date for battery metals is 837 contracts, reflecting a 100% increase from the previous year [2] - CME Group's battery metals suite includes various futures and options products such as Lithium Hydroxide, Lithium Carbonate, Cobalt Metal, Cobalt Hydroxide, and Spodumene [3] - The company offers the widest range of battery metals products, with all top 10 volume days occurring this year [2]

Core Insights - CME Group has launched XRP futures, marking a significant addition to its cryptocurrency offerings, with the first trade occurring on May 18, 2025 [1][2] - The initial trading day saw over $19 million in notional volume, indicating strong early interest in the new futures contracts [2] Product Details - XRP futures are available in two contract sizes: a micro-sized contract of 2,500 XRP and a larger contract of 50,000 XRP [2] - These contracts are cash-settled based on the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, which is calculated daily at 4:00 p.m. London time [2] Institutional Adoption - The launch of XRP futures is seen as a milestone for institutional adoption of digital assets, enhancing liquidity and risk management capabilities around XRP [2] - Hidden Road, a significant player in the non-bank prime brokerage space, expressed excitement about the first block trade and its implications for market access and innovation in digital assets [2]

Core Insights - CME Group plans to launch Spot-Quoted futures on June 30, 2025, pending regulatory review, which will create new trading opportunities in cryptocurrency and equity index markets [1][2] Group 1: Product Features - Spot-Quoted futures will allow trading futures positions in spot-market terms for leading cryptocurrencies (bitcoin and ether) and four major U.S. equity indices (S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Russell 2000, and Dow Jones Industrial Average) [2][3] - Investors can hold these contracts for up to five years without needing to roll, facilitating long-term positions [2][3] Group 2: Market Accessibility - The new contracts are designed to be capital-efficient and accessible, responding to growing retail demand for smaller-sized, longer-duration products [3][4] - Spot-Quoted futures will provide retail traders with greater flexibility to maintain long-term positions or trade in and out without frequent rolling [3][4] Group 3: Industry Impact - The introduction of Spot-Quoted futures exemplifies CME Group's commitment to innovation and meeting the evolving needs of active traders [3][4] - The launch diversifies CME Group's product offerings, enhancing service to clients and supporting the development of new products where there is demand [3][4]