CME Group is set to debut XRP futures and Micro XRP futures contracts on Monday May 19 marking a major step for regulated crypto derivatives. The contracts will go live on CME Globex and be cleared through CME ClearPort with early access available Sunday evening. Each standard contract will represent 50,000 XRP while Micro contracts will represent 2,500 XRP both cash-settled using the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate.

Giovanni Vicioso CME’s Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products said interest in XRP and its underlying ledger continues to rise as institutional and retail adoption grows. The addition of XRP futures gives investors a regulated capital-efficient tool to trade the fourth-largest digital asset by market cap. These new products join CME’s expanding crypto lineup which already includes Bitcoin Ethereum and recently added Solana futures.

Launch comes amid ongoing legal uncertainty for Ripple as a judge denied a proposed settlement with the SEC. Despite that XRP futures offer institutions a new path for exposure while demand for crypto derivatives surges.