CME Sees Record-Breaking Crypto Trading in January, Driven by Surge in Micro Futures
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) reported a record-breaking start to 2025, with crypto futures contracts reaching an average daily volume (ADV) of 198,000 contracts, amounting to a total notional value of $13.6 billion. This marks an astounding 180% year-over-year increase in trading activity.
A significant contributor to this growth was the demand for micro bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) futures contracts. Micro bitcoin futures saw a remarkable 255% surge, while micro ether futures rose by 223%. These smaller-sized contracts, representing just 0.1 of each cryptocurrency, provide more flexibility and allow traders to fine-tune their exposure to the markets.
In addition to the micro contracts, CME continues to offer full-sized futures for both bitcoin and ether, as well as options on these futures. These options provide traders with the ability to implement more complex strategies for managing risk, offering the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell futures contracts at a predetermined price on or before a specified date.
January also saw a total ADV of 25.7 million contracts across all CME products. The exchange has plans to launch options on Bitcoin Friday Futures (BFF) on February 24, pending regulatory approval, further expanding its suite of crypto derivatives.
