CME to Launch Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap Futures on October 19

TL;DR

• CME Group plans to launch Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures on October 19, subject to regulatory review.

• Both cryptocurrencies will receive standard and Micro contracts to accommodate different trading and hedging requirements.

• The exchange’s crypto derivatives recorded an average daily volume of 279,800 contracts during the first half of 2026.

CME Group plans to launch regulated futures contracts tied to Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) on October 19, subject to regulatory review, as the derivatives exchange continues expanding its cryptocurrency product lineup.

The proposed launch will add two more altcoins to CME’s growing collection of single-asset crypto derivatives. The exchange already offers futures tied to Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui.

CME will offer standard and Micro versions of the BCH and UNI contracts, giving institutional and smaller traders more flexibility when managing cryptocurrency exposure.

CME Introduces Standard and Micro BCH and UNI Contracts

The standard Bitcoin Cash futures contract will represent 250 BCH, while the corresponding Micro contract will cover 25 BCH. For Uniswap, the standard contract will represent 10,000 UNI, and the Micro version will cover 1,000 UNI.

Offering two contract sizes allows market participants to select an instrument that better matches their portfolio size and risk-management requirements. Larger institutions may prefer the capital efficiency of standard contracts, while smaller firms and active traders can use Micro futures to make more precise adjustments to their exposure.

The contracts will allow traders to gain exposure to BCH and UNI without directly holding the underlying tokens. They could also be used by token holders, liquidity providers and crypto businesses to hedge against adverse price movements.

“As crypto markets continue to mature, participants require broader, regulated tools to navigate evolving digital asset-related price risk,” CME Group crypto product lead Giovanni Vicioso said.

He added that the new products are intended to provide greater versatility and capital efficiency within CME’s regulated, continuously operating crypto marketplace.

The launch remains conditional on regulatory review, meaning the contracts’ introduction is not final until the applicable process has been completed.

Altcoin Futures Lineup Continues to Grow

Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap will broaden CME’s coverage of individual crypto assets beyond the two largest cryptocurrencies.

BCH is a proof-of-work cryptocurrency created through a Bitcoin network split in 2017, while UNI is the governance token associated with the Uniswap decentralized exchange ecosystem. Their inclusion indicates that CME sees growing demand for regulated derivatives linked to established assets outside Bitcoin and Ethereum.

CME has added several altcoin products during 2026, including contracts covering Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche and Sui. According to the exchange, its expansion into additional altcoin futures has generated more than $1 billion in notional value this year.

That figure suggests institutional and professional traders are seeking a wider range of regulated instruments for hedging and directional exposure. It also reflects the increasing integration of altcoins into traditional derivatives markets.

Regulated futures may appeal to financial institutions that cannot or prefer not to trade tokens directly through cryptocurrency exchanges. Such contracts allow participants to manage exposure through familiar infrastructure, established margin processes and standardized settlement arrangements.

CME Crypto Volume Reaches $8.3 Billion a Day

CME’s cryptocurrency derivatives business has continued to grow alongside its product range. During the first half of 2026, its crypto futures and options recorded an average daily volume of 279,800 contracts, representing approximately $8.3 billion in notional value.

The exchange also launched continuous, 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options in June. The market recorded more than $50 million in trading volume and over 7,200 contracts during its opening weekend.

Round-the-clock trading brings CME’s crypto products closer to the structure of the underlying digital-asset market, which remains active throughout weekends and public holidays. Previously, differences between traditional exchange hours and uninterrupted spot markets could leave traders unable to adjust futures positions during periods of sharp weekend volatility.

The new schedule allows institutional participants to respond more quickly to price changes, breaking news, and market disruptions outside conventional trading sessions.

Adding BCH and UNI futures could increase activity further, although their volumes will depend on demand from market makers, institutional investors and hedgers after the planned launch.

CME’s crypto derivatives expansion is unfolding alongside a dispute with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over perpetual futures in the United States.

In June, CME sued the regulator, alleging that its approval of perpetual products offered by Kalshi and Coinbase violated the Commodity Exchange Act and threatened CME’s retail futures business.

Unlike conventional futures, perpetual contracts do not have an expiration date. They are widely traded on offshore cryptocurrency platforms and generally use recurring funding payments to keep their prices close to the underlying spot market.

CME CEO Terry Duffy described the introduction of certain perpetual futures as a potential “disaster waiting to happen,” pointing to retail speculation and the risks associated with highly leveraged trading models.

Those comments highlight the competitive and regulatory tensions emerging as crypto derivatives become more accessible to US traders. CME is expanding its own digital-asset offerings while arguing that competing products must operate under consistent regulatory standards.

The planned launch of BCH and UNI futures reinforces CME’s strategy of building a broad suite of standardized, regulated contracts. If approved, the products will give traders two additional tools for managing altcoin price risk beginning October 19.