CME Group announces launch of Micro Ether Futures

By Edlyn Cardoza

CME Group, a leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, recently launched Micro Ether futures, further expanding its suite of cryptocurrency derivatives offerings and marking its second micro cryptocurrency product this year.

“The launch of Micro Ether futures underscores the significant growth and liquidity we have seen in our cryptocurrency futures and options,” said Tim McCourt, CME Group Global Head of Equity Index and Alternative Investment Products. “Sized at one-tenth of one Ether, Micro Ether futures will provide an efficient, cost-effective way for a range of market participants — from institutions to sophisticated, active, individual traders — to hedge their spot Ether price risk or more nimbly execute Ether trading strategies, all while retaining the features and benefits of CME Group’s larger-sized Ether futures.”

“The range of futures products that CME Group offers enable our active trader and institutional investor clients to take advantage of trading opportunities while minimizing price risk across markets,” said Steve Sanders, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Product Development at Interactive Brokers. “As investor demand for digital assets continues to grow, we are pleased to now offer our clients access to Micro Ether futures as a cost-effective, efficient and transparent way to access cryptocurrency and manage Ether exposure.”

“Wedbush continues to support the evolution of cryptocurrency derivatives,” said Bob Fitzsimmons, Executive Vice President at Wedbush Securities. “Micro Ether futures is a timely example of CME Group providing product to the new retail market participants we have witnessed this past year, while also providing institutional asset managers more tools to track performance.”

“TradeStation is proud to support the launch of CME’s new Micro Ether futures, as it lowers the barrier of entry and provides traders increased exposure to Ether,” said John Bartleman, CEO and President of TradeStation Group, Inc. “The demand for micro contracts and Ether only continues to grow, so offering this futures product to our customers from day one was a given.”

“As a firm at the forefront of providing traders with access to innovative products in alternative asset classes, we are delighted that CME Group is expanding its derivatives offering with the launch of Micro Ether futures,” said Brooks Dudley, ED&F Man Capital Markets Global Head of Digital Assets. “We have seen huge appetite for cost-efficient, regulated products such as these micro-sized contracts and expect they will attract strong demand.”

CME Micro Ether futures are cash-settled, based on the CME CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate, which serves as a once-a-day reference rate of the U.S. dollar price of Ether. Micro Ether futures are listed on and subject to the rules of CME.