CME will launch ADA, LINK, and XLM futures! Market interpretation is that they are entry tickets for spot ETFs.

CME Group announces the launch of ADA, LINK, and XLM futures, strengthening a regulated pricing foundation and being seen as a key milestone for these three tokens on the path toward U.S. spot ETFs.

The world’s largest derivatives exchange, CME Group, is expanding its cryptocurrency product offerings once again, announcing the upcoming launch of Cardano ($ADA), Chainlink ($LINK), and Stellar ($XLM) futures. These are viewed by the market as an important milestone for these three cryptocurrencies to enter the ETF market.

These new contracts are expected to go live on February 9, pending regulatory approval. To meet the needs of retail and institutional investors, CME will offer two contract specifications:

• Cardano ($ADA): standard contract of 100,000 coins, micro contract of 10,000 coins;
• Chainlink ($LINK): standard contract of 5,000 coins, micro contract of 250 coins;
• Stellar ($XLM): standard contract of 250,000 coins, micro contract of 12,500 coins.

Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group, stated: “Due to the explosive growth of the crypto bear market over the past year, clients are actively seeking trusted, regulated products to hedge price risks. With these flexible contract designs, market participants will be able to allocate assets more efficiently.”

CME’s decision to launch futures tied to these three tokens undoubtedly signals trust in the transparency of their spot market pricing. Historically, Bitcoin and Ethereum first established mature futures markets at CME before successfully opening the door to U.S. spot ETFs.

Currently, Cardano ($ADA) has a market cap of about $14.5 billion, ranking as the 12th largest cryptocurrency; Chainlink ($LINK), which provides oracle data services, has a market cap of approximately $9.8 billion; Stellar ($XLM), focused on cross-border payments, has a market cap of around $7.4 billion.

Since launching Bitcoin futures in 2017, CME has laid the foundation for cryptocurrencies to enter mainstream finance. Its product line now includes futures for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple ($XRP), and Solana ($SOL), as well as options on futures.

CME’s cryptocurrency futures and options on futures reached new highs in 2025, with an average daily trading volume of 278,300 contracts, valued at approximately $12 billion; open interest averaged 313,900 contracts, with a notional value of about $26.4 billion.

• This article is reprinted with permission from 《BlockBeats》
• Original title: 《Expanding the Cryptocurrency Derivatives Market: CME to Launch ADA, LINK, and XLM Futures》
• Original author: Block Sister MEL