Catenaa, Thursday, May 29, 2025-CME Group launched trading for XRP futures this week, recording over $19 million in notional volume on day one, outpacing Solana’s earlier debut and signaling rising institutional interest in alternative cryptocurrencies.
The U.S.-based derivatives giant added XRP as its fourth cryptocurrency product after Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana futures. The XRP contracts, available in micro-sized lots of 2,500 XRP and standard contracts of 50,000 XRP, are cash-settled based on the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate.
The opening-day performance eclipsed Solana’s futures debut in March, which drew $12.3 million in first-day trading volume.
That launch led market analysts to question the depth of institutional demand for altcoins. XRP’s stronger showing may reflect investor confidence following regulatory developments and anticipation around a potential XRP spot ETF.
CME’s Giovanni Vicioso said the addition of XRP futures enhances the company’s crypto offerings, providing capital-efficient tools to support investor strategies in a regulated environment.
The first XRP futures transaction was cleared by Hidden Road. Company president Noel Kimmel said the move represents a notable milestone in the broader institutional adoption of digital assets, particularly for enhancing liquidity and risk management around XRP.
Bitcoin and Ethereum remain the most actively traded CME crypto contracts. Bitcoin futures saw $102.7 million in volume on launch in 2017, while Ethereum futures reached $31 million in 2021.
As of Tuesday, XRP was trading at $2.35, down 0.76% over the past 24 hours, according to data from The Block.
