XRP futures set a record! CME breaks through $1 billion in open interest faster than ever.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) announced that Ripple (XRP) futures surpassed $1 billion in open interest (OI) in just over three months, setting a record for the fastest in the exchange’s history. This milestone also drove the total holdings of CME’s crypto asset futures to exceed $30 billion for the first time, indicating that institutional demand for regulated crypto derivatives is rapidly heating up.

XRP futures break through 1 billion dollars in three months

According to data released by CME, XRP futures have surpassed a holdings volume of 1 billion USD in just over three months since their launch in May 2025, making it the fastest contract to achieve this milestone in the exchange’s history.

In addition to XRP, Solana (SOL) futures have also successfully entered the “billion-dollar club,” and the open interest of Ethereum (ETH) futures has reached a new high of 10.5 billion dollars. Bitcoin (BTC) futures remain the largest crypto derivation at CME, with a holdings scale exceeding 16 billion dollars.

CME stated that this breakthrough comes at a time when traditional financial institutions are actively seeking to allocate in crypto assets, reflecting the growing interest of institutional investors in mainstream tokens like XRP.

Trading volume surges, institutional participation increases

On August 25, XRP futures had a daily trading volume of 7,533 contracts, with a total transaction amount exceeding 1 billion dollars, setting the highest record since July 15.

Market observers point out that this data shows more and more investors are choosing to gain XRP exposure through CME, a platform regulated by the CFTC, especially against the backdrop of regulatory uncertainty still facing the spot market.

CME’s crypto derivatives currently cover BTC, ETH, SOL, and XRP, with total holdings exceeding 30 billion USD for the first time, becoming an important tool for institutional asset allocation and risk management.

Spot XRP ETF demand may be underestimated

Nate Geraci, the president of NovaDius Wealth, believes that the strong performance of XRP futures is closely related to the potential demand for a spot ETF that may emerge on August 26. He noted that the current size of the futures-based XRP ETF has exceeded 800 million dollars, while the market may be underestimating the potential appeal of the spot version.

Multiple asset management companies, including 21Shares, Bitwise, Canary Capital, and Grayscale, have submitted spot XRP ETF applications to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Analysts generally believe that the maturity of the regulated futures market will be an important prerequisite for the approval of spot ETFs.

Conclusion

XRP futures on CME broke through $1 billion in holdings in just over three months, not only setting a record for the exchange but also highlighting institutional interest in crypto derivatives. With the progress of ETF applications and the continuous improvement of market infrastructure, XRP is expected to see larger-scale capital inflows in both the derivatives and spot markets. For more real-time market data and in-depth analysis, please follow the official Gate platform.