CME Group plans to expand its regulated crypto derivatives lineup with new Avalanche and Sui futures, adding to a broader push into altcoin-linked products.
The exchange announced on Tuesday that the contracts will launch on May 4, pending regulatory review, as demand for regulated crypto trading tools grow.
Meanwhile, the new products will give market participants access to both standard and micro-sized contracts for AVAX and SUI.
CME Group said the move builds on recent additions such as Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar futures, while also supporting its wider plan to offer around-the-clock crypto trading later in May.
CME adds Avalanche and Sui futures
CME Group said it will launch AVAX futures sized at 5,000 AVAX and Micro AVAX futures sized at 500 AVAX. It also plans to introduce SUI futures sized at 50,000 SUI and Micro SUI futures sized at 5,000 SUI.
The company framed the launch as part of its ongoing buildout of regulated crypto derivatives. CME Group already offers futures tied to major digital assets and recently expanded into more altcoins.
Giovanni Vicioso, the CME Group Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products, said the new contracts are designed to widen access across its crypto derivatives complex.
”Our new micro- and larger-sized Avalanche and Sui futures will provide clients with greater choice, enhanced flexibility and more capital efficiencies across our deeply liquid, regulated Crypto derivatives complex,” he stated.
He also pointed to stronger trading activity across the company’s crypto business.
”We continue to see strong volumes as market participants turn to our markets to manage risk and pursue opportunities, with March average daily volume up 19% year-over-year and nearly $8 billion in average notional value traded daily,” Vicioso said.
Regulated crypto products keep expanding
The planned AVAX and SUI launch follows CME Group’s earlier move to add Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar futures.
That sequence shows that the exchange is widening its crypto offering beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum as more investors seek regulated access to alternative digital assets. Moreover, other market participants also backed the expansion.
”CME Group’s continued expansion of its Cryptocurrency derivatives suite reflects the growing demand for regulated, institutionally-sound products in this asset class.” noted Volatility Shares CEO and Co-founder Justin Young.
He added that broader market access can serve both institutional hedgers and retail participants. Plus500US CEO Isaac Cahana also commented on the rollout.
”With sustained and increasing interest in digital assets, we welcome the continued rollout of additional derivatives tailored to high-growth crypto assets,” he noted.
He added that the contracts would broaden access for customers looking for more flexibility and capital efficiency.
The launch comes at a time when traditional finance firms continue to test more crypto-linked products. Exchanges and brokers have been expanding regulated offerings as digital assets move deeper into mainstream trading infrastructure.
CME Group’s latest move fits that wider trend, especially as institutions look for familiar structures to trade or hedge crypto exposure.
CME prepares for 24/7 crypto trading
As we previously reported, CME Group also said its cryptocurrency futures and options are expected to begin trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week on May 29, pending regulatory approval. The products will trade continuously on CME Globex, with at least a two-hour weekly maintenance period over the weekend.
That change would bring CME’s crypto products closer to the always-open structure of digital asset markets.
Unlike stocks, cryptocurrencies trade at all hours across global exchanges. By extending access to 24/7 trading, CME Group is aligning its regulated crypto products with how the underlying market operates.
The shift also comes as more trading platforms push for longer hours or continuous access. Tokenized finance platforms and crypto exchanges have moved faster in this area, offering near-constant exposure to both crypto and tokenized versions of traditional assets.
CME Group’s plan shows that established exchanges are also moving in that direction. In addition, the company’s broader strategy appears to combine product expansion with longer trading access.
The CME Group can potentially fulfill the needs of institutions and active traders by introducing additional altcoin futures and longer trading hours, regulated products that better suit the speed of crypto markets.
TradFi and crypto platforms compete for market share
This action by CME Group is amidst traditional finance companies and crypto-native exchanges developing new digital asset-related products. A number of platforms currently provide futures or options or tokenized market exposure to traders wanting to access regulated or extended-hours markets.
Coinbase recently launched 24/7 stock perpetual futures for non-U.S. traders, giving users cash-settled exposure to major U.S. equities and indexes.
Binance and Kraken have also pushed into tokenized perpetual futures and other offshore offerings for users outside the United States. These launches show that the race to expand product access is no longer limited to crypto-only assets.
Kraken has also expanded its U.S. derivatives business. In July, the company launched Kraken Derivatives US, a regulated platform that lets American users trade CME-listed Bitcoin and Ethereum futures.
That step followed Kraken’s acquisition of futures broker NinjaTrader and marked a deeper move into regulated derivatives.
At the same time, major financial exchanges are preparing for a market structure that could support longer hours and faster settlement.
On March 24, the New York Stock Exchange announced a partnership with Securitize to issue blockchain-based shares of stocks and ETFs. The effort is part of a wider plan by its parent company, ICE, to support a tokenized securities venue built for continuous trading and onchain settlement.
CME Group remains the largest derivatives exchange by volume, and on Jan. 7 it said average daily trading volume reached a record 28.1 million contracts in 2025.