The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group has officially announced it will introduce XRP futures contracts starting May 19, 2025, pending regulatory approval. This marks a significant expansion of CME’s crypto derivatives offerings, which already include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana futures. The new contracts will be available in two sizes: a micro contract covering 2,500 XRP and a standard contract of 50,000 XRP. Both will be cash-settled based on the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, calculated daily at 4:00 p.m. London time to ensure transparent and consistent pricing.
Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group’s Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products, highlighted the growing institutional and retail interest in XRP and its underlying blockchain, the XRP Ledger (XRPL). He emphasized that these futures will provide market participants with a capital-efficient tool to manage investment exposure and hedge risks amid evolving digital asset markets.
This launch comes amid robust growth in CME’s crypto futures market. In the first quarter of 2025, CME reported an average daily volume of 198,000 contracts, representing approximately $11.3 billion in notional value—a 141% increase year-over-year. Open interest also surged by 83% to 251,000 contracts, equivalent to $21.8 billion in notional value. Since its March debut, Solana futures have traded over 43,000 contracts with a notional value of $705 million, underscoring expanding demand for regulated crypto derivatives.
Robinhood has confirmed plans to offer CME’s XRP futures to its users, broadening retail access to these regulated instruments. JB Mackenzie, Robinhood’s VP and GM of Futures and International, stated that adding XRP futures aligns with the platform’s mission to enhance retail investor participation in futures markets, complementing its existing spot crypto offerings.
XRP’s utility as a fast, low-cost solution for global value transfers via the XRP Ledger continues to drive adoption despite regulatory uncertainties in the crypto space. Sal Gilbertie, CEO of Teucrium, noted that demand for regulated XRP exposure is strong, citing the rapid growth of the Teucrium 2x Daily Long XRP ETF, which amassed $35 million in assets under management within its first 10 trading days.
The introduction of XRP futures by CME is also seen as a potential catalyst for regulatory progress in the United States, particularly regarding the approval of spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The existence of a regulated futures market under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may address previous SEC concerns that hindered spot ETF approvals for altcoins. Several asset managers have already filed proposals for spot XRP ETFs, with JPMorgan projecting these could attract up to $8 billion in assets in their first year.
Overall, CME Group’s launch of XRP futures represents a pivotal step toward mainstream institutional adoption of digital assets, offering a regulated, transparent platform to manage XRP market volatility and investment risk.
