CME Group to Introduce Solana Futures Amid Rising Institutional Demand
CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives exchange, has announced plans to launch Solana (SOL) futures on March 17, further expanding its suite of regulated cryptocurrency products. The upcoming contracts, pending regulatory approval, will be available in two sizes—25 SOL and 500 SOL—offering institutional and retail traders more options for risk management.
“With the introduction of SOL futures, we continue to respond to growing client demand for diverse, regulated crypto derivatives,” said Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group’s Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products.
The futures will be cash-settled based on the CME CF Solana-Dollar Reference Rate, which tracks SOL’s price daily at 4:00 p.m. London time. CME has already seen a surge in demand for its existing crypto derivatives, with bitcoin and ether futures averaging 202,000 daily contracts this year—a 73% increase from 2024.
Industry experts believe this move signals increasing institutional interest in Solana. Bitwise Asset Management President Teddy Fusaro noted that CME’s crypto derivatives have historically played a crucial role in the development of regulated investment products, including ETFs. Meanwhile, Kyle Samani of Multicoin Capital highlighted that futures contracts allow large investors to gain exposure to SOL while managing downside risk effectively.
The launch could also lay the groundwork for a Solana-based exchange-traded fund (ETF).
“The introduction of SOL futures on CME significantly boosts the probability of a spot ETF approval,” said Sui Chung, CEO of CF Benchmarks.
However, he added that the SEC will likely wait to see consistent trading activity and a strong correlation between SOL futures and spot markets before making a final decision on ETF approvals.
