CME Launches XRP Futures as Institutions Show Strong Demand

XRP has taken a significant step into mainstream finance with the launch of futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), marking a major milestone in the token’s institutional adoption. In its first two days of trading, CME's XRP futures saw nearly $30 million in notional volume, signaling high interest from professional investors.

The debut session recorded over $19 million in trading, followed by another $10 million the next day. These contracts, which are cash-settled and benchmarked to the daily CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, come in two sizes: standard contracts representing 50,000 XRP and micro contracts for 2,500 XRP. On day one alone, more than 7.5 million XRP were traded through standard contracts, with micro contracts gaining increased traction in subsequent trading.

The strong start has reignited speculation about the eventual approval of a spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). Nate Geraci, President of The ETF Store, noted on social media that a spot XRP ETF might now be “only a matter of time,” drawing parallels to how futures markets for Bitcoin and Ethereum preceded their ETF approvals.

Despite the excitement, XRP’s price remained relatively stable at around $2.38, reflecting only a modest 0.42% increase over 24 hours. However, analysts argue that price action may not yet reflect the deeper shift occurring in XRP’s regulatory and institutional outlook.

Technical analysts are optimistic. FrankFx14 highlighted XRP's recent bounce from a strong demand zone between $2.31 and $2.37, calling it an early signal of a potential trend reversal. As long as XRP holds above $2.37028, he believes bullish momentum remains intact. Meanwhile, analyst Crypto Avi pointed to XRP’s breakout from a Falling Wedge pattern—a classic bullish formation—as a precursor to a “mega rally,” with a mid-term price target of $4.90.

As institutional involvement grows and technical signals align, XRP appears poised for a new phase in its market evolution—one that could include the long-awaited launch of a spot ETF.