By Niket Nishint
(Reuters) – CME Group said on Thursday that it aims to raise interest in tokens other than Bitcoin and non-etheric tokens as it launches futures contracts related to XRP cryptocurrency next month.
The cash-infused futures are scheduled to begin on May 19th, with regulatory approvals being held back.
Futures contracts allow traders to bet or hedge on future price movements of assets without having to own them.
The CME move highlights a push to provide altcoins with sophisticated trading tools. This usually refers to tokens smaller than Bitcoin or ether.
Initially considered speculative assets, these coins are becoming important elements of investors’ portfolios and could become safe shelters when tariff-driven volatility rattles off stocks.
XRP won 5.3% in 2025, but Bitcoin is down slightly, with the ether losing about half its value. The Benchmark S&P 500 Index fell 8.6% over the period.
Last month, CME also rolled out futures related to another major crypto token, Solana. Both Solana and XRP have attracted a wave of institutional interest in recent months, with asset managers applying for exchange sales funds tied to tokens.
Kaiko’s research report earlier this month showed a steady increase in XRP trading volume for US exchanges.
This new product will help strengthen its presence in the retail trading space, the area CME is focused on.
XRP is the native token of Crypto Firm Ripple Labs that resolved a civil lawsuit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission last month over alleged sales of unregistered securities.
“It’s expired in many ways, but this is a very important and exciting step in the continued growth of the XRP market,” Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, posted on X, with reference to CME’s planned futures.
(Reporting by Nicket Nishanto of Bengaluru, edited by Silpi Majumdal)