CME Group announced on Tuesday that it will list regulated futures contracts for Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) on May 4, 2026, subject to CFTC review. The addition marks the latest expansion of the world's largest derivatives exchange's compliant crypto derivatives suite, which now covers eight digital assets including Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, XRP, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, and the two newcomers.
Contract Specifications: Standard and Micro Sizes
The AVAX futures contract will have a standard size of 5,000 AVAX and a micro size of 500 AVAX. For SUI, the standard contract will be 50,000 SUI with a micro size of 5,000 SUI. Both contracts are cash-settled, cleared through CME Clearing, and priced using CME CF reference rates tied to New York settlement windows. The micro contracts are designed to lower barriers for a broader range of participants while standard contracts serve institutional needs.
Market Momentum: Record Crypto Derivatives Volumes
CME's crypto derivatives business recorded a notional volume of $3 trillion in 2025. Year-to-date through early 2026, average daily volume (ADV) reached 407,200 contracts, up 46% year-over-year. Futures ADV stood at 403,900 contracts, a 47% increase, while average daily open interest was 335,400 contracts, up 7%. In March, ADV rose 19% year-over-year, with nearly $8 billion in notional value traded daily.
Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Crypto Products at CME Group, stated: "Our new Avalanche and Sui futures contracts in micro and larger sizes will provide clients with greater choice, higher flexibility, and enhanced capital efficiency across our deeply liquid and regulated crypto derivatives suite." Institutional partners echoed the sentiment. Justin Young, CEO of Volatility Shares, and Isaac Kahana, CEO of Plus500US, both highlighted surging demand from hedgers and investors seeking regulated access to altcoins beyond the two flagship assets.
24/7 Trading Launch: Closing the Weekend Gap
CME reiterated its plan to launch 24/7 crypto trading on May 29, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. CT. The entire crypto derivatives suite—including Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, XRP, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, and now AVAX and SUI—will move to continuous trading with only a minimum two-hour weekly maintenance window. Weekend and holiday trades (from Friday evening to Sunday evening) will be recorded with the next business day's trade date, with clearing, settlement, and regulatory reporting following the same schedule.
Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equity, FX, and Alternative Products at CME Group, has noted that customer demand for risk management in digital assets is at an all-time high. The shift to round-the-clock trading bridges a long-standing gap between regulated derivatives markets and spot crypto markets, which operate continuously. Hedgers have historically faced basis risk during weekend hours when CME contracts were inactive but underlying prices moved. The new schedule directly addresses this issue.
All CME crypto products are cash-settled and backed by institutional-grade clearing infrastructure. The new AVAX and SUI contracts will be eligible for block trades and will initially trade on the existing CME Globex platform before migrating to the 24/7 program. Final launch is subject to CFTC approval.