CME Group is set to launch futures contracts tied to the XRP cryptocurrency on May 19, subject to regulatory approval. The cash-settled futures contracts are designed to tap into the growing interest in cryptocurrencies beyond bitcoin and ether. CME’s move highlights a broader push to offer sophisticated trading tools for altcoins, which are increasingly becoming a vital component of investors’ portfolios and can serve as a safe haven during periods of tariff-driven volatility in equities markets.
The decision comes as XRP has gained 5.3% in 2025, contrasting with bitcoin’s marginal decline and ether’s loss of about half its value during the same period. The benchmark S&P 500 index has fallen 8.6% over the same timeframe. Last month, CME rolled out futures related to solana, another major crypto token, reflecting a wave of institutional interest in these assets.
Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse welcomed the development, stating it was “an incredibly important and exciting step in the continued growth of the XRP market.” The introduction of XRP futures could help CME strengthen its presence in the retail trading space, an area the company has been focusing on.
XRP is the native token of Ripple Labs, which recently settled a civil lawsuit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission over alleged unregistered securities sales. The increasing trading volume of XRP on U.S. exchanges, as reported by Kaiko Research, further underscores the growing interest in this cryptocurrency.
As CME expands its cryptocurrency derivatives offerings, the move is seen as a significant step in the maturation of the XRP market and the broader cryptocurrency landscape.
