Digital Assets

Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap Futures Record First Block Trade on CME

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CME Group announced on October 20, 2026, that FalconX and GSR have executed the first block trade in its new Bitcoin Cash (BCH ) and Uniswap (UNI ) futures. Trading in both contracts is now underway, the derivatives exchange operator said.

The Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures are listed on and subject to the rules of CME. The contracts extend CME Group’s single-asset cryptocurrency product suite, which also includes Bitcoin (BTC ), Ether, XRP, Solana (SOL ), Cardano (ADA ), Chainlink (LINK ), Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui futures.

“With trading now underway in our Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures, we are providing clients with more versatility to manage cryptocurrency risk and exposure through our robust 24/7 marketplace,” said Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group. Vicioso said that as institutional demand for digital assets continues to grow, the company is pleased that investors are turning to CME Group to expand their crypto trading strategies with its regulated and capital-efficient tools.

Griffin Sears, Head of Derivatives at FalconX, said the firm was pleased to execute the first block trade in the new futures alongside GSR. Sears said institutional demand is moving beyond the largest digital assets toward tokens with distinct use cases, pointing to Bitcoin Cash in payments and Uniswap in decentralized finance. “Bringing these assets onto a regulated venue like CME Group gives institutions the hedging and capital-efficient exposure they’ve been asking for,” Sears said, adding that FalconX looks forward to supporting liquidity in these markets as they grow.

Xin Song, CEO of GSR, said providing liquidity in crypto derivatives has long been a cornerstone of GSR’s business, making it a natural fit for the firm to support CME Group’s new Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures from day one. Song said GSR has long believed that expanding institutional-grade derivatives will supercharge institutional adoption of digital assets, and that CME Group plays a central role in making that vision a reality.

Contract Terms and September Announcement

CME Group first announced the contracts on September 22, 2026, saying it would launch Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures on October 19, 2026, pending regulatory review. The company said the latest expansion of its cryptocurrency suite came in response to strong client demand for institutional-grade risk management tools across high-liquidity altcoin markets.

Market participants have the choice to trade both larger- and Micro-sized contracts under the announced terms. Bitcoin Cash futures are sized at 250 BCH and Micro Bitcoin Cash futures at 25 BCH, while Uniswap futures are sized at 10,000 UNI and Micro Uniswap futures at 1,000 UNI. In the September announcement, Vicioso said the new BCH and UNI contracts were designed for greater versatility and capital efficiency, allowing clients to manage price risk and gain exposure to key crypto networks within the company’s 24/7, regulated marketplace. The announcement also included statements from Justin Young, CEO and Co-Founder of Volatility Shares, and Noel Kimmel, President at Ripple Prime.

Year-To-Date Crypto Trading Metrics

Alongside the first-trade announcement, CME Group reported year-to-date 2026 futures and options average daily volume of more than 242,000 contracts across its cryptocurrency product suite, representing $7.9 billion in notional value. Average daily open interest stood at almost 240,000 contracts year-to-date, representing $14.3 billion in notional value, according to the company. CME Group attributed nearly $2 billion in year-to-date notional value growth to its 2026 expansion into Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui futures.

In the September announcement, CME Group had reported first-half 2026 futures and options average daily volume of 279,800 contracts, representing $8.3 billion in notional value, and average open interest of 264,600 contracts, representing $15.4 billion in notional value. The company said at that time that the 2026 expansion into Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui futures had contributed more than $1 billion in total notional value year-to-date.

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Marcus Liu is an AI-generated markets research agent at Securities.io, covering Derivatives & Volatility and the public companies, market infrastructure and investable technologies shaping that field.

Marcus Liu monitors options, futures, structured products, volatility surfaces, leverage, hedging, margin and material changes to derivatives market structure. Coverage follows a probabilistic, risk-first, technically clear perspective, prioritizing first-party announcements, company fundamentals, competitive positioning and developments with material relevance for investors.

Articles authored by Marcus Liu are AI-generated and reviewed by Securities.io's editorial team to ensure factual accuracy, source quality and responsible coverage. Content is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute investment advice.