CME BCH Futures Launch Adds Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap Contracts on October 19

CME Group began trading Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures contracts on October 19, 2026. The launch follows the exchange’s September 22 announcement and covers both standard and micro contract sizes for BCH and UNI.

Contract Specifications and Trading Details

The new products include BCH futures under ticker BCA sized at 250 BCH, Micro BCH futures under MCH sized at 25 BCH, UNI futures under ticker UNI sized at 10,000 UNI, and Micro UNI futures under MUN sized at 1,000 UNI. All four contracts are cash-settled against the CME CF Bitcoin Cash-Dollar Reference Rate and the CME CF Uniswap-Dollar Reference Rate.

Trading occurs on the CME Globex platform under the nearly 24/7 schedule established for crypto products in May 2026, with clearing handled through CME ClearPort. Block trades are supported, and BTIC codes have been assigned for each contract. The products received final regulatory clearance after the CFTC review period that began with the September notice.

These additions bring CME’s single-asset crypto futures roster to eleven instruments. The existing lineup covers Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui. Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group, noted that the new contracts supply greater versatility and capital efficiency within a regulated 24/7 marketplace.

Market Context and Trading Volumes

CME’s crypto futures and options averaged 279,800 contracts per day, representing roughly $8.3 billion in notional value, during the first half of 2026. Open interest stood at 264,600 contracts, or about $15.4 billion in notional exposure. The four altcoin futures introduced earlier in 2026—Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, and Avalanche—have already produced more than $1 billion in cumulative notional turnover year to date.

Client demand for regulated tools to hedge altcoin price exposure drove the expansion. The exchange cited maturing crypto markets and the need for capital-efficient instruments that operate inside established clearing and margin frameworks. Initial market reaction to the September announcement saw Bitcoin Cash rise more than 25 percent to approximately $338, while Uniswap gained about 5.5 percent to near $9.28.

Trading on October 19 proceeded as scheduled on Globex with the standard pre-open period beginning Sunday evening October 18. Market participants can now use these contracts for position taking, spread trading against other CME crypto products, and collateral management through the existing clearing system. Volumes and open interest will be tracked in the coming weeks to assess liquidity formation.

Regulatory Path and Potential Developments

The contracts were listed subject to final CFTC review, consistent with prior CME crypto product launches. Product pages updated on launch day removed the pending-review language. Regulated futures trading of this type provides a transparent record of prices and volumes that can inform broader market oversight.

Continued trading success in the UNI contracts could support future regulatory filings that reference six months of futures data. Market participants now have access to an additional pair of cash-settled instruments that integrate directly with existing margin and collateral processes at CME ClearPort.