CME Group (CME) cryptocurrency derivatives trading volume surged to record levels last year, with average daily volume increasing 139% year-over-year to 278,000 contracts, even as the largest tokens fell.
The volume is equivalent to approximately $12 billion in daily face value, according to data released by the company, and marks the strongest annual performance for crypto products since their debut in 2017.
The exchange noted 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 increasing volumes occurred in a negative year for cryptocurrency market price behavior. The price of bitcoin fell about 6.3% in 2025, while ether lost 11% and the broader CoinDesk 20 index (CD20) fell about 17%.
Cryptocurrencies were just one part of CME’s record-breaking year. Overall, the exchange hit an all-time high of 28.1 million contracts in average daily volume across all asset classes, including interest rates, energy and metals, it said.
