CME Group set to launch three new crypto reference rates later this month

Quick Take

  • CME Group is launching reference rates for AVAX, FIL, XTZ.
  • The new reference rates will go live on October 31.

Derivatives market giant CME Group is set to launch three new crypto reference rates this month. 

Reference rates for the native tokens of the Avalanche, Tezos and Filecoin blockchains will go live on the CME from October 31, in partnership with CF Benchmarks.

The reference rates will show the U.S. dollar price of each token, published once daily at 4 p.m. BST, the respective real-time index will be published once per second, 24 hours a day, year-round.

Bitstamp, Coinbase, Gemini, itBit, Kraken, and LMAX Digital will provide data for these reference rates. 

RELATED INDICES

The CME CF Reference Rates and real-time indices will capture more than 92% of the investable cryptocurrency market capitalization, according to CME Group Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products Giovanni Vicioso.

"These new benchmarks are designed to allow traders, institutions and other users to access a much broader range of cryptocurrencies through a suite of products they are already familiar with, allowing them to confidently and more accurately manage cryptocurrency price risk, value portfolios or create structured products like ETFs," Vicioso concluded. 

While these are reference rates and not tradable futures, the inclusion of new reference rates could suggest potential additions to tradable crypto futures on the CME. Last month, CME expanded its line of crypto derivatives products, launching ether options on September 12. 


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About Author

Adam Morgan is a reporter covering cryptocurrency, financial markets, and economics – anything from price movements, earnings reports, and inflation to the U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decisions and everything in between. Adam is based in London.