CME Group to Launch XRP Futures, Expanding Regulated Crypto Derivatives Offerings
CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, announced its plans to launch XRP futures contracts on May 19, 2025, pending regulatory review. This significant addition to its cryptocurrency derivatives suite responds to growing institutional demand for regulated exposure to a broader range of digital assets.
According to the announcement, the new XRP futures will be available in two sizes: a standard contract representing 50,000 XRP and a micro contract representing 2,500 XRP. Both contract types will be cash-settled based on the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, providing a reliable benchmark for XRP valuation in institutional portfolios.
The exchange cited steadily increasing institutional and retail adoption of XRP and its underlying XRP Ledger (XRPL) as key drivers behind this product launch. XRP's growing use case for cross-border payments and remittances, particularly in corridors involving emerging markets, has attracted significant institutional interest beyond its role as a tradable digital asset.
This launch adds XRP to CME's expanding crypto derivatives ecosystem, which already includes futures and options on Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as the recently introduced Solana futures. The exchange reported strong performance across its existing crypto product line, with Q1 2025 average daily volume up 141% compared to the same period in 2024.
Industry analysts view this development as potentially significant for XRP's institutional adoption path. The introduction of regulated futures on a major U.S. exchange has historically preceded favorable regulatory developments for other digital assets. Some market observers suggest this could represent a stepping stone toward potential approval of a spot XRP ETF in the U.S. market, following the pattern established by Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Retail access to these futures contracts is also in the works, with trading platforms including Robinhood and Interactive Brokers announcing plans to offer the new XRP futures to qualified retail investors shortly after their launch.
