🚨Institutions Are Back: CME Crypto Derivatives Surge 129% in April
📈 The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the largest regulated crypto derivatives platform, recorded a sharp increase in trading volumes in April 2025. Average daily volume hit 183,000 contracts, representing $8.9 billion in notional value — up 129% year-over-year, signaling a renewed wave of institutional participation.
The standout performer? Ethereum-based products.
Daily ETH futures volume soared 239%, reaching 14,000 contracts, while micro ETH futures jumped 165% to 63,000 contracts.
CME’s offering includes standard contracts (5 BTC / 50 ETH) and micro contracts (0.1 BTC or ETH), giving institutional and professional traders precise control over risk and exposure — whether hedging long-term holdings or managing intraday volatility.
This surge suggests that institutions are increasingly using regulated instruments to express directional views and hedge positions — especially as onchain liquidity fragments and macro uncertainty remains high.
Is this just the beginning of the institutional comeback?
Or a tactical move before the next volatility wave hits?