CME Group announced the launch of Solana futures, a move that, although pending regulatory approval, has rekindled the debate about the possible arrival of SOL spot ETFs, following the model of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The world’s largest derivatives exchange confirmed plans to list Solana (SOL) futures starting March 17. The contracts, available in two sizes, 25 and 500 SOL, will be settled in cash under the CME CF Solana-Dollar Index.
According to the market, this decision responds to the growing demand for regulated instruments to manage risks in cryptocurrencies. Giovanni Vicioso, director of digital products at CME, commented that the initiative adds to the company's current offering, which includes Bitcoin and Ethereum futures, and occurs in a context where managers such as VanEck and Franklin Templeton have already requested Solana spot ETFs from the SEC. Therefore, this move has raised comparisons with the processes that led to the approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, where futures played a key role.
SOLANA BUYSSolana Futures Details: Regulated Access and Institutional Scalability
CME Solana futures will allow institutional and retail investors to trade standardized contracts without the need to hold custody of the underlying asset. Each contract will be based on the CME CF Solana-Dollar Index, calculated daily at 16:00 London time, reducing exposure to intraday volatility.
“With the launch of our new SOL futures contracts, we are responding to growing client demand for a broader set of regulated products to manage cryptocurrency price risk,” Vicioso said.
Bitwise's Teddy Fusaro, meanwhile, commented that the product provides a "capital-efficient" hedging tool for professional funds and traders, especially given the rise of DeFi and NFT projects on the Solana network.
La digital workplace strategy CME's contract size includes two sizes: the micro, which is 25 SOL, for small investors and the standard, 500 SOL, for professional investors and institutions. This duality seeks to capture from private wealth managers to hedge funds, replicating the successful model applied with Bitcoin, whose futures on CME registered an average daily volume of 202.000 contracts in 2025, with a year-on-year increase of more than 73%. In addition, the firm plans to launch XRP futures on the same date, expanding its portfolio of crypto assets.
PREPARE YOUR WALLETThe springboard for SOL spot ETFs
Historically, the SEC has required robust futures markets before authorizing spot ETFs. Bitcoin got its first U.S. ETF in January 2024, almost seven years after the CME listed its futures in 2017. For Ethereum, the process took less time, with futures approved in 2023 and spot ETFs in mid-2024.
Experts have commented that regulators see futures as a mechanism for detecting price manipulation, which provides security for authorising the listing of more complex products, such as exchange-traded funds.
In Solana's case, approval of futures on CME, which is overseen by the CFTC, could speed up the SEC's review of spot ETFs requested by Franklin Templeton and VanEck.
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In conclusion, the launch of Solana futures by CME Group represents a step towards the integration of cryptocurrencies into regulated markets. Although it does not guarantee the approval of spot ETFs, the application establishes a framework similar to that which enabled their adoption for Bitcoin and Ethereum.
For Solana, the challenge will be to prove stability and liquidity to financial regulators, while leveraging institutional interest in its high-performance blockchain network. If the SEC follows its historical pattern, investors could see the first SOL spot ETFs very soon. For now, futures offer a key thermometer: their performance on the CME will define not only SOL’s fate, but also the boundaries of financial innovation in cryptoassets beyond Bitcoin.
SOLANA BUYSInvesting in cryptoassets is not fully regulated, may not be suitable for retail investors due to high volatility and there is a risk of losing all invested amounts.
