CME Group To Launch Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar Futures Amid Crypto Lineup Expansion – Details

Overview

CME Group, a prominent derivatives exchange, is set to expand its offerings by introducing futures contracts for Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar. This move underscores the growing interest in regulated crypto derivatives and aims to provide market participants with more options for managing price risks.

CME Group’s Expansion of Crypto Derivatives

On Thursday, CME Group announced its plans to include futures contracts for Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM) in its lineup of regulated crypto derivatives. This addition is part of CME’s strategy to enhance its offerings in the crypto market, which has seen significant growth in recent years. The launch of these futures is expected to occur on February 9, 2026, pending regulatory review.

The new futures contracts will be available in both micro-sized and larger-sized options. For Cardano, the standard futures contract will cover 100,000 ADA, while the micro-sized futures will consist of 10,000 ADA. Chainlink’s large-sized futures will be set at 5,000 LINK, and the micro-sized contracts will cover 250 LINK. For Stellar, the larger contracts will encompass 250,000 XLM, with the micro-sized options covering 12,500 XLM.

CME Group has a history of launching futures for major cryptocurrencies, having first introduced Bitcoin futures in 2017 and Ethereum futures in 2021. More recently, in the first half of 2025, CME added futures for Solana and XRP, expanding its suite of crypto derivatives. Giovanni Vicioso, the Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group, noted the industry’s significant growth and the increasing demand for trusted and regulated products to manage price risk. This sentiment reflects a broader trend in the crypto market, as institutional investors seek more secure avenues for exposure.

Price Reaction of Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar

Despite the announcement of these new futures contracts, the prices of Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar remained largely unaffected, continuing their intraday corrections. Chainlink and Stellar both experienced declines of around 4% from their Thursday highs, dropping to approximately $13.60 and $0.225, respectively. Chainlink has struggled to maintain the $13.80 support level, while Stellar faced resistance after being rejected from its recent highs.

Cardano’s price showed some fluctuations as it attempted to reclaim the $0.41 area ahead of the announcement. After a brief bounce from recent lows, Cardano surged over 10% toward the crucial $0.42-$0.43 range, only to be rejected and retrace nearly 9% from its local highs. As of Thursday morning, Cardano was trading around the $0.391 mark after facing corrections throughout the day.

From author

The introduction of futures contracts for Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar by CME Group represents a notable step in the evolution of the crypto derivatives market. With increasing regulatory oversight, these products could attract more institutional interest and provide participants with additional tools for managing risk. The underlying price movements of these cryptocurrencies, however, suggest that market sentiment may not be fully aligned with the positive developments in futures offerings.

Impact on the crypto market

• CME Group’s expansion signifies growing institutional interest in crypto derivatives.
• The launch of new futures contracts could enhance market liquidity and provide more tools for traders.
• The introduction of micro-sized contracts may attract smaller investors and diversify the participant base.
• Price stability in the underlying cryptocurrencies may become more pronounced as regulated products gain traction.
• Increased regulatory scrutiny may lead to a more structured and secure trading environment for crypto assets.