Overview
- CEO Terry Duffy said the company is exploring a CME-issued coin that could operate on a decentralized network for industry participants.
- CME has not defined whether the potential coin would be a stablecoin, a settlement token, or another instrument, and timing remains undecided.
- A separate tokenized-cash product built with Google is slated for later in 2026 and will use a depository bank to facilitate transactions.
- Acceptance of tokenized collateral for margin will depend on the issuer’s risk profile, with preference for tokens from systemically important institutions.
- CME aims to move crypto derivatives to near 24/7 trading in early 2026 pending regulatory approval and is adding Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar futures, as crypto volumes averaged about $12 billion daily last year.