Crypto News: CME Group to Launch Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar Futures, Expanding Regulated Crypto Derivatives

CME Group is set to expand its regulated cryptocurrency derivatives offering with the launch of futures contracts tied to Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar, marking another step in the institutionalization of altcoins in U.S. markets.The Chicago-based derivatives exchange said Thursday that it plans to list futures contracts for Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM) on Feb. 9, pending regulatory approval.Regulated altcoin futures expand beyond Bitcoin and EtherThe new contracts would broaden CME’s crypto derivatives suite regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which already includes futures and options linked to Bitcoin, Ether, XRP and Solana.CME said the listings are designed to meet growing demand from market participants seeking regulated exposure to digital assets, as institutional and retail interest in crypto derivatives continues to rise in the United States.Under the proposal, CME will offer both standard and micro futures contracts for each asset, with contract sizes ranging from:10,000 to 100,000 ADA250 to 5,000 LINK12,500 to 250,000 XLMThe inclusion of micro contracts suggests the products are intended to be accessible to a wider audience, including retail traders, subject to broker availability.Retail and institutional demand convergesMartin Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader, said digital assets are reaching a “global inflection point” as they become more integrated into investor portfolios. He added that CME’s new offerings reflect rising retail demand for regulated crypto futures and broader product choice.Futures contracts allow traders to gain price exposure or hedge risk without holding the underlying tokens, a structure favored by institutions seeking capital efficiency and regulatory clarity.CME deepens crypto benchmarks and market footprintThe announcement follows a recent move by CME Group and Nasdaq to unify their crypto benchmarks, rebranding the Nasdaq Crypto Index as the Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index, which tracks BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, LINK, ADA and Avalanche.The expansion comes as the U.S. crypto futures market remains heavily concentrated around Bitcoin and Ether, with only gradual progress into altcoin-linked contracts during 2025.Competitors such as Coinbase, Kraken, and Bitnomial have also taken steps to introduce or distribute CFTC-regulated crypto futures, signaling intensifying competition for institutional and compliant altcoin exposure.CME’s planned listings underscore how select altcoins are increasingly being pulled into regulated financial infrastructure, reinforcing their role in institutional portfolios as U.S. crypto market structure continues to evolve.