CME Launches Regulated ADA, LINK & XLM Futures — New Tools for Institutional Crypto Trading
The CME Group, the world’s largest regulated derivatives exchange, has officially launched futures contracts for Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM) as of February 9, 2026, expanding its cryptocurrency derivatives suite beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
These new futures products include both standard and micro contract sizes, giving traders greater flexibility and capital efficiency. Standard contracts cover 100,000 ADA, 5,000 LINK, and 250,000 XLM, while micro contracts allow smaller positions of 10,000 ADA, 250 LINK, and 12,500 XLM — making regulated futures accessible to both institutional and smaller traders.
The addition of ADA, LINK and XLM futures marks a noteworthy step in the institutionalization of altcoins, offering robust tools for hedging, risk management, portfolio diversification, and professional trading strategies under strict oversight by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This expansion comes amid strong growth in CME’s crypto derivatives business, which reported record futures and options trading activity in 2025, underscoring rising institutional demand for regulated digital asset exposure.
Market Implication: By providing regulated, transparent futures markets for major non-BTC/ETH tokens, CME is enhancing liquidity, enabling advanced strategies, and potentially deepening institutional participation across a broader range of digital assets.
#CryptoFutures #ADA #LINK #XLM