CME Group Breaks Crypto Futures Trading Record With 795K Contracts

TLDR

• CME Group hit a record 794,903 crypto futures and options contracts traded on November 21, breaking the previous August record
• Year-to-date crypto derivatives volume jumped 132% compared to 2024, with $12 billion traded daily
• Open interest climbed 82% year-over-year to 299,700 contracts worth $26.6 billion
• Micro Bitcoin futures and options reached a record daily volume of 210,347 contracts
• CME plans to move cryptocurrency futures and options to 24/7 trading in early 2026

The Chicago-based derivatives marketplace broke its previous record of 728,475 contracts set in August. The new record comes during a period of increased volatility in crypto markets.

Giovanni Vicioso leads cryptocurrency products at CME Group. He said demand for regulated crypto risk management tools is growing.

The exchange offers futures and options contracts for bitcoin, ether, solana, and XRP. Traders use these products to hedge against price changes or speculate without holding actual tokens.

Trading Volume Surges Across Multiple Timeframes

Year-to-date figures show strong growth in crypto derivatives trading. CME’s average daily volume reached 270,900 contracts worth $12 billion in notional value. This represents a 132% increase from the same period in 2024.

Open interest also grew across the platform. The number of outstanding contracts rose 82% year-over-year to 299,700 contracts. These contracts total $26.6 billion in notional value.

Fourth quarter data shows similar patterns. Average daily volume reached 403,200 contracts valued at $14.2 billion. This marks a 106% increase from the same period last year.

Open interest for the fourth quarter grew 117% to 493,700 contracts. The total notional value reached $35.4 billion.

Micro Products Drive Record Activity

CME’s micro futures and options products set their own records. The micro product suite hit 676,088 contracts on November 21.

Micro Bitcoin futures and options alone reached 210,347 contracts that day. These smaller-sized contracts make crypto derivatives accessible to retail traders.

Both institutional players and retail investors contributed to the record volumes. The exchange launched its bitcoin futures in 2017 and has expanded offerings since then.

The company added options on Solana and XRP futures in October 2025. CME plans to introduce continuous 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options in early 2026.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $1.22 billion in net outflows last week. Four-week cumulative outflows reached $4.34 billion.

Global crypto exchange-traded products are experiencing their third-worst period since 2018 according to CoinShares. CME’s regulated derivatives platform continues to see increased trading despite market challenges.