The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is poised to enhance its offerings with the introduction of futures products for Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM), set to launch on February 9. This expansion will provide institutional players with a new platform to gain exposure to these altcoins, presenting both larger and smaller contract sizes for trading.
For Cardano, the CME will offer futures contracts in two sizes: one will consist of 100,000 ADA coins, while the other will include 10,000 ADA. Chainlink’s contracts will feature larger and micro offerings of 5,000 LINK and 250 LINK, respectively. Stellar’s contracts will be similarly structured, with larger contracts containing 250,000 XLM and the smaller variant holding 12,500 XLM.
With this addition, CME’s crypto portfolio will encompass seven assets, which already includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Ripple. Giovanni Vicioso, the CME Group’s global head of crypto products, indicated that these new offerings will enhance market flexibility and create additional investment avenues in an evolving landscape. He stated, “Market participants will now have greater choice with enhanced flexibility and more capital efficiencies.”
Martin Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader, described the initiative as a critical turning point for the futures industry, highlighting the increasing mainstream acceptance of digital assets and their integration into investors’ portfolios.
However, despite the significant structural changes, market sentiment may not reflect immediate bullishness. Historical trends from previous CME futures launches for altcoins suggest a muted reaction from the market. For instance, when Solana futures debuted in March 2025, it saw $12 million in notional volume yet the price remained stagnant below $130. Similarly, XRP’s futures launched in May 2025 experienced $19 million in notional volume, but the price eventually dipped. Observers are concerned that Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar may encounter similar market responses, particularly if the current risk-off sentiment persists into the launch date.
In terms of current market performance, whales have shown interest in ADA recently as its price fell to $0.20, with wallet holders of 1 million to 10 million ADA, as well as institutions holding 100 million ADA, increasing their positions. On the other hand, Chainlink is exhibiting structural resilience; the selling pressure remains relatively subdued at around 119 million LINK, a contrast to previous periods of higher selling pressure.
Despite the potential for improved market conditions, ADA has experienced an 8.5% decline in the past 24 hours, while LINK has similarly fallen around 8%, trading at $9. Stellar’s XLM also recorded an 8% drop as the broader crypto market faced a downturn.
In conclusion, the CME’s expansion into futures for ADA, LINK, and XLM signifies growing institutional interest in altcoins. Nevertheless, the upcoming launch may not generate significant market optimism due to prevailing risk-off trends.
