The CME Group, the world's largest derivatives exchange, announced plans to launch regulated futures contracts for Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) on May 4, pending regulatory review. This expansion marks a significant step in bringing more alternative cryptocurrencies into the traditional finance (TradFi) fold, providing institutional investors with standardized, capital-efficient tools for hedging and directional trading.
The new offerings will include both standard and micro-sized contracts. Standard AVAX futures will be sized at 5,000 AVAX per contract, with Micro AVAX futures at 500 AVAX. For SUI, standard contracts will be 50,000 SUI, and Micro contracts will be 5,000 SUI. Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group's global head of cryptocurrency products, stated that these products will provide clients with "greater choice, enhanced flexibility and more capital efficiencies" within the exchange's regulated crypto derivatives complex.
The launch follows CME's recent expansion of its altcoin futures lineup, which added Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM) earlier this year. It reflects a broader trend of growing institutional demand for regulated crypto products. In March, CME reported average daily notional volume across its digital asset futures and options reached nearly $8 billion, a 19% year-on-year increase.
Isaac Cahana, CEO of Plus500US, welcomed the rollout, noting it "further broaden[s] access for our global customers, allowing them to participate in evolving markets with greater flexibility." The move coincides with CME's preparation to transition its cryptocurrency futures and options to 24/7 trading starting May 29, aligning crypto derivatives with the round-the-clock nature of the underlying spot markets.
