CME Denies Possibility of XRP and SOL Futures Listing, Calls It an “Error”

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has denied reports that it plans to list regulated XRP and Solana (SOL) futures for trading, CoinDesk reported.

An “Error” by CME

A CME representative stated that the leaked webpage indicating the potential listing of futures for the two cryptocurrencies from 10 February, pending regulatory approval, was an “error.”

“A beta page from our website was released in error earlier today,” the spokesperson told the crypto-focused publication. “Many mock-ups are included in that test environment. No decisions have been made regarding XRP or SOL futures contracts.”

The rumour of CME’s potential listing of futures for the two cryptocurrencies began with a screenshot posted on X (formerly Twitter), showing a leaked beta page from its website.

@SynopticCom: CME just added XRP and SOL futures page to their staging subdomain. Page says XRP and SOL futures are going live on Feb 10 pending regulatory review. Looks like they are preparing for the official announcement. Brace for paradise.As always, posted this first on… pic.twitter.com/Am6fzLyApd

The Changing Crypto Landscape in the US

CME is one of the largest and most prominent financial and commodity derivatives exchanges in the world. It is part of the CME Group, which also includes major exchanges such as the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), and COMEX.

CME was among the first mainstream exchanges to list Bitcoin futures in December 2017, alongside its competitor, the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). However, CBOE ceased offering Bitcoin products due to low demand.

Meanwhile, CME continued to expand its crypto offerings, adding Ether futures in February 2021. It later introduced micro contracts for Bitcoin and Ether futures to further lower the investment barrier.

Several exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuers have applied to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for approval of XRP and SOL ETFs. However, the regulatory body has not yet made a decision on these applications.

It is worth noting that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), not the SEC, regulates crypto futures and options listings. A media report also claimed that the Donald Trump administration had considered giving the CFTC broader authority over US crypto regulations.

Following the latest rumours about CME listing XRP and SOL, the prices of both cryptocurrencies rose by about 3 per cent each.