Table of Contents
Rumors are swirling about the potential launch of Ripple's XRP and Solana (SOL) futures contracts by the CME Group, one of the world’s leading derivatives exchanges.
These speculations were sparked by a now-deleted page on CME’s staging website, which detailed trading mechanics for the two assets and hinted at a launch date of February 10.
The purported CME page suggested that the exchange would offer both standard and micro futures contracts for XRP and Solana, with specifications such as 50,000 XRP for standard contracts and 2,500 XRP for micro contracts, Coindesk reported. Similarly, Solana’s futures would include standard contracts of 500 SOL and micro contracts of 25 SOL. These contracts are expected to be settled in cash, pending regulatory review.
A CME spokesperson told CoinDesk that no decisions have been made on XRP or Solana futures contracts, and said the leak was an "error."
Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart commented on the rumors, noting that while the staging page could be a fake, the concept aligns with market expectations. “Futures contracts for SOL and XRP make sense and are largely to be expected,” Seyffart remarked, while adding a note of caution about the need for official confirmation.
Assuming "beta.cmegroup" is actually a beta/test version of the actual CMEGroup website -- looks like CME is expecting to launch SOL & XRP futures on Feb 10. But this isn't available on the actual website yet.
— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) January 22, 2025
Honestly makes sense and largely to be expected if true IMO https://t.co/lfMGd8X9KE
If launched, these futures contracts could open the door for a wave of exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications tied to XRP and Solana. Historically, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has relied on CME’s surveillance mechanisms to mitigate market manipulation risks, a factor that played a significant role in the approval of Bitcoin futures ETFs. An official confirmation from CME could therefore accelerate the SEC’s consideration of XRP and Solana ETFs, fostering further institutional adoption of these assets.
The potential approval of XRP and Solana futures contracts may also reflect shifting regulatory perspectives under the SEC’s new leadership, led by acting Chair Mark Uyeda. This development could signal a more nuanced approach to classifying and regulating cryptocurrencies, especially in light of recent controversies surrounding digital assets.
Blockhead
The U.S. market is witnessing a surge in crypto-related ETF filings, with over 30 applications currently awaiting SEC approval. These include funds tied to XRP, Solana, Litecoin (LTC), Hedera (HBAR), and even memecoins like Dogecoin (DOGE) and Bonk (BONK).
