CME Group’s average crypto derivatives volume hit record $12 billion in 2025

Finance Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email CME Group’s average crypto derivatives volume hit record $12 billion in 2025 CME's overall average daily volume across asset classes hit an all-time high of 28.1 million contracts, with crypto being a key contributor. By Francisco Rodrigues | Edited by Sheldon Reback Jan 5, 2026, 2:45 p.m. (Yashowardhan Singh/Unsplash/Modified by CoinDesk) What to know : CME Group's cryptocurrency derivatives trading volumes surged to record highs in 2025, with average daily volume more than doubling to 278,000 contracts, valued at around $12 billion. The exchange's micro-ether and micro-bitcoin futures contracts were record performers, driving the growth. Overall, CME's average daily volume across asset classes hit an all-time high of 28.1 million contracts, with crypto being a key contributor. CME Group's (CME) cryptocurrency derivatives trading volume surged to record highs last year, with average daily volume jumping 139% year-over-year to 278,000 contracts even as the largest tokens fell. The volume equates to roughly $12 billion in daily notional value, according to data released by the company , and marks the crypto products' strongest annual performance since their debut in 2017. STORY CONTINUES BELOW Don't miss another story. Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today . See all newsletters Sign me up By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . The exchange pointed to its micro-ether and micro-bitcoin futures contracts as record performers, with average daily volumes of 144,000 and 75,000 contracts, respectively. Full-size ether futures also posted strong gains, with average daily volume rising to 19,000 contracts. The growing volumes came in a negative year for the cryptocurrency market’s price performance. The price of bitcoin BTC $ 92,457.12 dropped around 6.3% in 2025, while ether ETH $ 3,157.07 lost 11% and the broader CoinDesk 20 ( CD20 ) index dropped roughly 17%. Crypto was just one slice of CME’s record-breaking year. Overall, the exchange hit an all-time high of 28.1 million contracts in average daily volume across asset classes, including interest rates, energy and metals, it said. CME Group Crypto Derivatives Crypto Trading Derivatives More For You KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market By CoinDesk Research Dec 22, 2025 Commissioned by KuCoin KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market. What to know : KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025 , equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month , marking its strongest year on record. This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume , as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes , which slowed during periods of lower market volatility. Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split , each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line. Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity , reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover. Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity , indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes. View Full Report More For You Tom Lee urges BitMine shareholders to approve share increase ahead of January 14 vote By Olivier Acuna | Edited by Stephen Alpher Jan 2, 2026 The chairman of the former bitcoin miner-turned-ether treasury firm reiterated his view that Ethereum is the future of finance. What to know : Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine Immersion (BMNR), urged shareholders to approve an increase in the company's authorized share count from 500 million to 50 billion. Lee assured shareholders that the increase is not intended to dilute shares, but instead to enable capital raising, dealmaking, and future share splits. Shareholders have until January 14 to vote on the proposal, with the annual meeting scheduled for January 15 in Las Vegas. 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