CME Group hits $900B in Q3 crypto derivatives as ETH leads surge

CME Group logged $900B in crypto derivatives volume in Q3 2025

by Blockworks /

October 16, 2025 08:49 am

Pamela Brick/Shutterstock and Adobe modified by Blockworks

CME Group posted record-breaking activity in its cryptocurrency derivatives markets during the third quarter of 2025, with total futures and options volume exceeding $900 billion, according to its October 2025 Cryptocurrency Insights report.

The exchange also reached a record average daily open interest (ADOI) of $31.3 billion, signaling expanding institutional appetite for regulated digital asset exposure.

The number of large open interest holders climbed to 1,014 in mid-September, a clear marker of market depth and participation growth.

ETH led the rally, with futures volume up 355% year-over-year and open interest up 441% to $8.7 billion. Open interest peaked at $10.6 billion in August, and ETH options hit a record $1.2 billion ADOI. CME cited the rise of Ethereum-based trading and hedging as a sign of maturing institutional risk management across decentralized finance markets.

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New SOL and XRP futures also reached milestones since launching earlier this year, trading $34 billion and $23.7 billion in notional value, respectively.

Solana open interest surpassed $2.1 billion, and XRP hit $1.4 billion, both achieving record large-holder counts. The activity underscores rising diversification beyond Bitcoin and ETH into altcoin derivatives.

CME’s spot-quoted Bitcoin (QBTC) and Ether (QETH) futures continue to attract institutional use, blending futures’ capital efficiency with spot-market exposure. More than 400,000 contracts have traded, totaling over $380 million in notional value.

The exchange expanded its crypto suite with new options on Solana and XRP futures on October 13, 2025 — the only CFTC-approved XRP and Solana options in the U.S. — and announced plans to introduce 24/7 trading in early 2026, aligning its regulated offering with the always-on digital asset market.

This is a developing story.

This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication.

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