XRP futures contracts began trading on CME Group’s derivatives platform on May 19, 2025, demonstrating a trading volume of $1.5 million during the first session. This marks a significant step for XRP as the contracts are cash-settled and referenced against the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate. Initial reports indicated that four standard contracts (representing 50,000 XRP each) and 106 micro contracts (2,500 XRP each) were traded, contributing approximately $480,000 and more than $1 million in volume, respectively. Ripple's CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, highlighted this launch as a crucial institutional milestone for XRP, noting regulatory advancements, particularly the CFTC's classification of XRP as a commodity, which opened up pathways for the future launch of spot XRP ETFs. Analysts suggest that, despite modest initial volumes, XRP's inclusion in the CME enhances market dynamics and price discovery akin to impacts seen with Bitcoin and Ethereum futures.

Source 🔗