CME Group said Tuesday it will launch Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures on October 19, pending regulatory review, adding the two altcoins to a regulated crypto derivatives lineup that already spans nine single-asset contracts. In a statement published September 22, the Chicago-based exchange said the expansion responds to “strong client demand” for institutional-grade tools to manage price risk across high-liquidity altcoin markets.
Standard and Micro contracts
Market participants will be able to trade the new products in both larger and Micro sizes. Bitcoin Cash futures will be sized at 250 BCH with a 25 BCH Micro contract, while Uniswap futures carry a 10,000 UNI notional alongside a 1,000 UNI Micro version. “As crypto markets continue to mature, participants require broader, regulated tools to navigate evolving digital asset related price risk,” said Giovanni Vicioso, global head of cryptocurrency products at CME Group. He described the contracts as “designed for greater versatility and capital efficiency,” letting clients manage risk or gain exposure within a 24/7 regulated marketplace.
An expanding altcoin lineup
The BCH and UNI contracts join a single-asset crypto suite that already includes Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche and Sui futures. Crypto futures and options averaged 279,800 contracts a day in the first half of 2026, equal to roughly $15.4 billion in notional value, the exchange said. Its 2026 expansion into Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche and Sui futures has already contributed more than $1 billion in total notional value year to date. CME has increasingly become the venue where U.S. institutions hedge crypto exposure, a shift tracked in earlier coverage of XRP futures open interest moving to CME.
Institutional demand meets regulatory review
“Institutions managing cryptocurrency exposure need around-the-clock access to regulated derivatives, underpinned by the clearing and financing infrastructure to match,” said Noel Kimmel, president at Ripple Prime. “The addition of Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures marks another important step in the continued expansion of CME Group’s crypto futures offering,” added Justin Young, chief executive of Volatility Shares. The launch remains subject to regulatory review, and Bitcoin Cash has separately been drawing institutional products, including a Grayscale filing to convert its Bitcoin Cash Trust into a spot ETF.
The contracts will be listed on and subject to the rules of CME. Until the October 19 launch date, the announcement leaves the door open for regulators to weigh in, while signaling that demand for regulated altcoin exposure is spreading beyond the largest assets.
