On September 22, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group (CME Group) issued an official announcement stating that, pending regulatory review and approval, it is expected to officially launch Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures contracts on October 19, 2026. This move is intended to address strong demand from institutional clients for risk management tools for regulated, highly liquid alternative coins (altcoins). (Background summary: CME Group announced: 100-ounce silver futures will launch “24/7 trading” starting 9/11) (Additional context: CME is reportedly planning to sue the CFTC: allowing prediction market Kalshi to launch Bitcoin perpetual contracts illegally.) As institutional investors deepen their involvement in the cryptocurrency market, CME Group, a leading global derivatives market operator, is actively expanding its digital asset product lineup. On September 22, CME announced that it will further expand its single-asset crypto currency product line, with plans to launch Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures contracts on October 19, 2026. The company is currently awaiting the final review from regulatory authorities. Standard and micro contracts to meet institutional hedging needs To provide market participants with more flexible capital allocation and risk management tools, the new products being introduced by CME will include two contract specifications: standard and micro. The standard contract size for Bitcoin Cash futures is 250 BCH, while the micro contract size is 25 BCH; for Uniswap futures, the standard contract is 10,000 UNI and the micro contract is 1,000 UNI. All of these contracts will be listed on CME and are subject to its strict rules. Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of CME Group’s Cryptocurrency Products, emphasized that as the crypto market continues to mature, participants urgently need a wider range of regulated tools to manage evolving price risks. He said the new BCH and UNI contracts will allow clients to gain exposure to key crypto networks in a regulated market operating 24/7. Noel Kimmel, CEO of Ripple Prime, also said that institutions managing crypto exposure need around-the-clock derivatives as well as matching clearing and financing infrastructure, and that CME’s product lineup fills this market gap. Strong CME crypto futures trading volume: average daily trading value reaches $8.3 billion in the first half of the year With the addition of these new products, CME’s crypto currency product matrix will become even more complete. Previously, the platform had already offered futures contracts covering a range of assets including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui. According to trading data released by CME, its crypto derivatives market is experiencing explosive growth. In the first half of 2026, the average daily volume (ADV) for crypto futures and options reached 279,800 contracts, with a notional value of approximately $8.3 billion. Average open interest (OI) also rose to 264,600 contracts, with a notional value of about $15.4 billion. Notably, just five competitor-coin futures added in 2026 so far this year—such as Cardano and Chainlink—have already contributed more than $1 billion in notional trading value, indicating strong demand from traditional capital for mainstream crypto assets. Related reports CME officially launches AVAX and SUI futures contracts! Starting 5/29, crypto derivatives will be available for 24/7 trading. CME Group and Nasdaq partner to launch the first “crypto index futures,” packaging seven major coins at once including BTC, ETH, SOL, etc. CME plans to launch Bitcoin volatility futures in June: What is CME’s BVX index? Crypto market update) Bitcoin breaks through 38,200; Ethereum rises above 2,100! CME’s BTC open interest hits a new high—could see major volatility. “CME announces that it will launch Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures contracts on 10/19—further expanding its crypto derivatives footprint.” This article was first published on BlockTempo (BlockTempo—one of the most influential blockchain news media).