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CME Group Launches Cardano, Chainlink and Stellar Futures in Standard and Micro Sizes

Adoption will be gauged by liquidity, open interest, stable spot–futures pricing.

Overview

  • Futures on ADA, LINK and XLM went live on February 9, 2026 on CME’s regulated, centrally cleared marketplace.
  • Contract specifications set Cardano at 100,000 ADA with a 10,000 ADA micro, Chainlink at 5,000 LINK with a 250 LINK micro, and Stellar at 250,000 lumens with a 12,500 lumens micro.
  • Designing both standard and micro contracts targets flexible position sizing and lower entry friction for a wider range of participants.
  • CME presents the listings as market infrastructure for hedging, basis trades and portfolio positioning rather than a short‑term price catalyst.
  • The move extends a lineup that began with Bitcoin futures in 2017 and later added Ether, XRP and Solana, with 2025 averages of 278,300 contracts traded daily and 313,900 contracts in open interest.