CME Group's Cryptocurrency Derivatives Market Posted Strong Growth in the First Quarter of 2025, Reaching a Record $11.3 Billion in Notional Value.

CME Group posted strong growth in its cryptocurrency derivatives market in the first quarter of 2025, reaching a record $11.3 billion in notional value.

CME Group Inc (NASDAQ:CME) on Wednesday reported stellar performance in its cryptocurrency derivatives market during the first quarter of 2025, with notional value reaching an all-time high of $11.3 billion. The surge was driven by a sharp rise in trading activity for smaller-sized, or "micro," bitcoin and ether futures as institutional and retail traders sought precise risk management tools in a volatile market.

Demand for smaller-sized contracts reached new records across multiple crypto products.

CME reported an average daily volume (ADV) of 198,000 crypto derivative contracts, with micro ether futures trading volume reaching an all-time high of 76,000 contracts.

Micro bitcoin futures experienced even more explosive growth, surging 113% year-over-year to 77,000 ADV.

Standard bitcoin futures and ether futures also contributed to the record, with 18,000 and 13,000 contracts traded daily, respectively.

The exchange’s micro contracts, which represent 0.1 BTC or 0.1 ETH, are becoming increasingly popular with traders who are looking to execute more targeted strategies.

The record-setting activity in crypto derivatives was part of a larger wave of growth across CME’s product offerings. The exchange reported its highest-ever quarterly ADV at 29.8 million contracts, with new records set across multiple asset classes, including U.S. Treasury futures, energy options and agricultural contracts.

March 2025 was particularly strong, with CME posting its second-highest monthly ADV at 30.8 million contracts, marking a 27% year-over-year increase. Cryptocurrency products saw a 59% annual increase in ADV for the month, reaching 176,000 contracts valued at $8.4 billion.

With micro futures now playing a pivotal role in CME’s crypto derivatives ecosystem and market trends indicating continued demand, the firm aims to further expand its suite of cryptocurrency contracts to provide traders with additional hedging opportunities amid ongoing volatility.

Also Read: Institutional Bitcoin Derivatives Volume Hits Record High In Q1: Report

CME Group's foreign exchange (FX) trading volumes underwent substantial growth last year, notching up a 10% increment in international markets despite the global economic uncertainty and market volatility.

The derivatives exchange reported that FX trading performed particularly robustly in Latin America, where volumes surged 19% compared to 2023. This vitality reflected the demand for currency risk management tools in emerging markets.