Crypto: CME Launches Futures for Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap

Two more tokens on the screens of Chicago. CME Group plans to launch futures contracts on Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) on October 19, 2026, pending regulatory review. This extension would bring the total number of cryptocurrencies covered individually by its futures to eleven.

The new products will be offered in two formats and cash-settled. They will allow investors to trade the fluctuations of BCH and UNI without directly holding the tokens.

Key Points

• CME Group plans futures on Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap starting October 19, 2026
• Contracts will be available in standard and micro sizes, with cash settlement
• BCH and UNI will join BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA, LINK, XLM, AVAX, and SUI
• In the first half of 2026, CME's crypto derivatives represented an average daily notional volume of $8.3 billion

CME Adds Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap to Its Crypto Futures

The standard contract for Bitcoin Cash will represent 250 BCH, while its micro version will cover 25 BCH. For Uniswap, the sizes will reach 10,000 UNI and 1,000 UNI, respectively. This dual range allows investors to more precisely adjust their exposure and the capital locked in collateral.

The contracts will be cash-settled. Therefore, no BCH or UNI will change hands at expiration. The clearinghouse will calculate the financial outcome based on CME CF reference rates, then credit or debit accounts according to the difference between the entry price and the settlement price.

A fund can thus hedge against a decline, take a bullish position, or trade the spread between spot and futures markets without opening a crypto wallet. The clearing by CME Clearing also limits the direct default risk between the two parties.

The two products will also support the Basis Trade at Index Close or BTIC. This mechanism allows trading in advance the spread between the future and the reference rate calculated at close. It particularly interests desks looking to hedge an execution price or build a yield strategy between the spot market and derivatives.

The launch is still scheduled for October 19, pending the completion of the regulatory review. CME does not yet present this date as definitively secured. CME Group opens its Futures to Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap -- Source: Account X

The Regulated Altcoin Market Continues to Expand

Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap will join a range that already includes bitcoin, ether, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui. ADA, LINK, and XLM entered in February 2026, followed by AVAX and SUI in May. CME's crypto markets have also been operating continuously since the end of May, with a short weekly period dedicated to technical maintenance.

This multiplication of underlying assets responds to a demand for hedging that is no longer limited to bitcoin and ether. Bitcoin Cash remains one of the leading cryptocurrencies dedicated to payments, while UNI provides exposure to Uniswap, one of the leading decentralized exchange protocols.

The figures published by CME reflect this progress. In the first half of 2026, crypto futures and options recorded an average daily volume of 279,800 contracts, amounting to approximately $8.3 billion in notional value. The average open interest reached 264,600 contracts, representing nearly $15.4 billion.

Contracts launched in 2026 on Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui have already exceeded one billion dollars in cumulative notional volume. BCH and UNI thus extend an already engaged strategy rather than a sudden opening to altcoins.

CME remains far from the volumes recorded on some international crypto platforms. However, its advantage lies in its regulated framework, clearinghouse, and institutional clientele. The arrival of Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap expands the hedging possibilities offered to banks, funds, and managers who cannot trade directly on offshore platforms.

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