CME has officially launched options trading for Solana (SOL) and XRP under the oversight of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This will expand its footprint of regulated cryptocurrency derivatives beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Trading began on October 13, with both Solana and XRP options now live across CME’s Globex platform. The new contracts allow traders to take positions on standard and micro versions of Solana and XRP futures, featuring physically settled options that expire into the underlying futures contracts.
Available expirations include daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly terms, mirroring CME’s structure for Bitcoin and Ether derivatives.
The addition of these options provides market participants with new tools for hedging exposure or speculating on price movements of the two largest non-Ethereum Layer 1 assets. Solana’s inclusion highlights its evolution into a dominant blockchain for transaction throughput and decentralized finance, while XRP’s listing underscores growing institutional acceptance following regulatory clarity around its non-security classification earlier in 2025.
BCME Options Broaden Institutional Access
The new options cater primarily to asset managers; proprietary trading firms and hedge funds within the U.S. capital markets are offered capital-efficient exposure through CFTC-regulated infrastructure. By involving established liquidity providers such as Cumberland and FalconX, CME seeks to deepen options market liquidity and narrow trading spreads across the two tokens.
This move may enhance overall price discovery for both assets, potentially increasing their institutional profile while reinforcing distinctions between regulated derivatives and offshore perpetual exchanges.
According to CME’s roadmap, the exchange plans to expand its digital asset suite into round-the-clock trading by 2026, pending additional regulatory review. With mainstream regulators, under the GENIUS Act and updated market oversight, the firm expects mounting interest from traditional investors seeking compliant exposure to crypto instruments.
By debuting the first CFTC-regulated options on Solana and XRP, CME is solidifying its position as a central player in digital asset markets. It bridges conventional finance and blockchain economies while signaling that institutional crypto integration is swiftly moving beyond the era of Bitcoin and Ethereum alone.
READ MORE: Mantle (MNT) Rallies 30% as On-Chain Activity Surges
