CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, announced it plans to launch options on micro bitcoin and micro ether futures on March 28, pending regulatory review.
The new option contracts are set to add to CME’s suite of micro bitcoin and micro ether futures, launched last year (micro bitcoin futures were introduced in May, ether contracts were added in December). These micro futures have contract size equivalent to 0.1 BTC and 0.1 ETH.
“We have worked closely with clients and the broader industry to establish robust and liquid cryptocurrency futures and options markets at CME Group,” said Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equity and FX Products, CME Group. “At less than a year old, nearly 5.2 million combined Micro Bitcoin and Micro Ether futures contracts have changed hands. Building on the strength and liquidity of the underlying contracts, our micro-sized options will enable traders of all sizes to efficiently hedge market-moving events with greater precision and flexibility or fine-tune their cryptocurrency market exposure.”
At present, CME also offers full-size futures contracts for bitcoin and ether, which have contract size equivalent to 5 BTC and 50 ETH, and options contracts for full-size bitcoin futures.
In February, CME reported fourth-quarter 2021 average daily volume of 20.5 million contracts, up 26% from fourth quarter 2020.