Chicago-based CME Group has announced the launch of spot-quoted futures for XRP as well as the SOL cryptocurrency.
The new products enable U.S.-regulated trading of spot prices through small 250-unit contracts with low margins on the CME Globex platform.
Spot-quoted futures, explained
Earlier this year, CME expanded beyond Bitcoin and Ether by launching spot-quoted futures or standard futures for XRP and Solana (SOL).
As the name suggests, the newly launched spot-quated futures closely mimic the familiar spot market prices (the current real-time price of XRP or SOL in USD). This sets them apart from traditional futures, which often trade at a premium or discount to the spot price.
Essentially, these are a hybrid instrument that allows traders to get the leverage of futures while trading a price that behaves like the spot market.
Each contract is for 250 units of the cryptocurrency. These are CME's smallest crypto contracts yet.
They have extended expiry dates (typically annual), which means that traders can hold positions for longer periods.
Strong demand
Notably, CME’s crypto futures and options markets reached record daily volumes in late 2025.
CME is now dominating futures trading for Bitcoin as well as smaller altcoins of the likes of XRP.
One of the most strategic developments is CME’s plan to offer 24/7 trading for its crypto futures and options.
CME futures often trade at a premium to the spot price (contango), and institutions buy spot Bitcoin (or ETFs) and short CME futures to capture the spread risk-free. This massive institutional flow is why CME's pricing often dictates the macro direction of the market more than retail exchanges in the US.
Now, the futures-trading giant is closing the gap with crypto-native features.
Dan Burgin
Vladislav Sopov
U.Today Editorial Team