CME Group broke its single-day record for cryptocurrency futures and options trading, recording 794,903 contracts on Nov. 21, the company said. The rise, which surpasses the previous record set in August, highlights a surge in demand for regulated crypto derivatives during a time of increased market volatility.
The Chicago-based exchange has seen activity across its cryptocurrency portfolio increase throughout 2025, driven by both institutional players and retail investors. Giovanni Vicioso, global head of cryptocurrency products at CME, said the rise reflects growing interest in tools that help manage risk in an unpredictable market.
“Amid current market uncertainty, demand for regulated and deeply liquid crypto risk management tools is accelerating,” he said.
The contracts represent assets like bitcoin. and ether and are used by traders to hedge against price swings or speculate on future movements without holding the underlying tokens. For example, a hedge fund expecting a bitcoin slowdown could short CME bitcoin futures to limit losses on spot holdings.
CME’s year-to-date cryptocurrency average daily volume (ADV) now stands at 270,900 contracts, valued at $12 billion in notional terms, an increase of 132% compared to the same period last year. Open interest, or the number of outstanding contracts, increased 82% year over year to 299,700 contracts, totaling $26.6 billion in notional value.
In the fourth quarter alone so far, average daily volume has increased by 106% over the same period in 2024, reaching 403,200 contracts with a face value of $14.2 billion. Open interest during the same period grew 117%, totaling 493,700 contracts valued at $35.4 billion.
The increase in trading volume indicates that more investors are seeking regulated exposure to crypto markets, even as uncertainty persists. CME Group, which launched its bitcoin futures in 2017, has steadily expanded its cryptocurrency offering to meet this demand.
