TLDR:
- CME’s staging website revealed plans for XRP and Solana futures launch on February 10, 2025, pending regulatory approval
- The contracts will include both standard sizes (500 SOL/50,000 XRP) and micro sizes (25 SOL/2,500 XRP) for flexible trading
- The leak triggered a 3% price increase for both XRP and SOL
- Bloomberg ETF analysts confirmed seeing the staging site before it was taken down
- Major banks predict up to $14 billion in potential new cash flow into SOL and XRP products in 2025
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) appears to be expanding its cryptocurrency offerings with new futures contracts for XRP and Solana, according to documents found on the exchange’s staging website. The information, which was discovered on January 22, 2025, suggests a planned launch date of February 10, though this remains subject to regulatory approval.
The leaked information first came to light when an X (formerly Twitter) user named “Summers” spotted details on CME’s beta subdomain. Bloomberg ETF analysts James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas later confirmed seeing the staging site before it was taken down.
Assuming “beta.cmegroup” is actually a beta/test version of the actual CMEGroup website — looks like CME is expecting to launch SOL & XRP futures on Feb 10. But this isn’t available on the actual website yet.
Honestly makes sense and largely to be expected if true IMO https://t.co/lfMGd8X9KE
— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) January 22, 2025
According to the discovered documents, CME plans to offer both standard and micro-sized contracts for the two cryptocurrencies. For Solana, standard futures contracts will be traded in 500 SOL units, while micro contracts will handle 25 SOL. XRP futures will be available in larger 50,000 XRP standard units and smaller 2,500 XRP micro contracts.
The contracts will be settled in US dollars and include various trading options such as outright futures, basis trades at index close (BTIC), and block trades. These features aim to provide traders with multiple ways to manage their positions and risk exposure.
Market reaction to the news was immediate, with both XRP and Solana seeing price increases of approximately 3% after the information became public, according to data from CoinGecko.
James Seyffart noted that while the February 10 launch date seems likely if the staging site is accurate, traders should wait for official confirmation from CME before making any decisions. The exchange has not yet released any official statement about the potential launch.
The timing of this development comes as several major financial institutions predict increased institutional interest in cryptocurrency products. JPMorgan and Standard Chartered have suggested that 2025 could see substantial growth in crypto-based financial products.
These banks estimate that new products related to SOL and XRP could attract up to $14 billion in fresh capital if regulators approve them. This projection takes into account both futures contracts and potential ETF products.
Last month, Volatility Shares submitted an application to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a Solana futures-based ETF. This product would track Solana’s price movements through futures contracts regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
ETF analyst Eric Balchunas has suggested that a Solana futures ETF might launch as early as mid-March. However, he questioned whether such a product would attract substantial interest, given that many investors might prefer to wait for a spot Solana ETF.
The contract specifications outlined on the staging site indicate that all monthly futures contracts will support both BTIC and block trading features from day one of trading.
Regulatory clarity remains a key factor in the launch timeline. Industry observers note that the SEC’s stance on Solana’s security status could influence the approval process for these new products.
The staging site was removed shortly after its discovery, and CME has not addressed questions about either the accuracy of the information or the planned launch of these new futures products.
Currently, CME offers futures trading for several other cryptocurrencies, and these new additions would expand their crypto derivatives lineup further.
Market analysts are watching closely for any official announcement from CME that would confirm these plans and provide more details about the launch timeline and contract specifications.
The post CME Plans New Cryptocurrency Futures Products for XRP and Solana appeared first on Blockonomi.