Next month, the CME Group will introduce euro-denominated micro Bitcoin and Ethereum futures in response to increased demand in the derivatives market. These new offerings are in response to the popularity of their U.S. dollar-denominated counterparts and are set to launch on March 18 pending regulatory approval. The CME Group, the largest derivative marketplace in the world, consists of four exchanges. Futures are contracts in which an investor agrees to buy or sell the underlying asset at a specified price on a predetermined date. “Micro futures” are tiny portions of the original asset. CME Group announced that they will be offering products equal to one-tenth of a Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are currently valued at $51,538 and $2,940. These products have gained popularity among traders due to lower fees and improved liquidity compared to spot crypto ETFs. Before the widespread availability of Bitcoin-based investment instruments in the U.S., these products were a preferred alternative for traders. Giovanni Vicioso, CME Group’s global head of cryptocurrency products, noted that 24% of Bitcoin and Ether futures volume at CME Group this year has come from the Europe, the Middle East, and Africa region. We are constantly creating new tools for clients to protect their cryptocurrency investments and speculate on future market trends. He stated that the CME Group had experienced a fourfold rise in trading volume for their U.S. dollar-based contracts. The CME Group introduced Bitcoin futures trading in December 2017. Since then, it has introduced Ethereum futures and smaller futures for digital assets. In 2022, a CME Group executive stated that the market was evaluating the potential release of futures for Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA). Edited by Ryan Ozawa. Sign up for daily updates on crypto news to stay informed. Enter your email address.