CME Group launches Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures

CME Group plans to list standard and micro futures contracts for Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) on October 19, 2026. The launch is still tentative and depends on regulatory approval.

What is happening

CME Group, the Chicago-based derivatives exchange, is preparing to add futures on two more digital assets: Bitcoin Cash, a payment-focused spin-off of Bitcoin, and UNI, the governance token of the decentralized exchange Uniswap. Each asset will get a standard and a micro contract. A standard Bitcoin Cash contract covers 250 BCH and a micro contract covers 25 BCH. A standard Uniswap contract represents 10,000 UNI, while the micro version covers 1,000 UNI.

The new listings join CME's existing crypto futures suite, which includes Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche and Sui. According to CME, the earlier expansion into Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche and Sui added more than $1 billion in total contract value this year. In the first half of 2026, CME's crypto futures and options averaged 279,800 contracts traded per day, worth about $8.3 billion, with average open interest of 264,600 contracts valued at $15.4 billion.

Both coins approach the launch after a weak week: UNI trades around $7, down 10.4%, and BCH around $264, down 10.7%.

Why it matters

Regulated futures give institutions new tools. Holders can hedge by shorting futures instead of selling coins, which may reduce pressure on the spot market. Some institutional investors, such as pension funds, cannot hold crypto directly but can trade listed futures, so the contracts may widen the pool of participants. At the same time, futures let traders take short positions without borrowing the asset, which can add selling pressure.

Historical launches are often modest: Ether futures on CME opened in February 2021 with only 388 contracts traded, about $33 million. The effect on BCH and UNI will likely depend on whether hedgers and newly eligible institutions or short sellers dominate, and on early trading volume. The article offers no definitive view on direction.

Points to watch: whether both contracts actually go live on October 19 or are delayed by regulatory review, and CME's daily open interest reports in the following weeks, read alongside the price moves of both coins.

Key details

• Date: October 19, 2026 (tentative, pending regulatory approval)
• Project: CME Group
• Coins: BCH, UNI
• Category: Listing
• Status: Tentative
• Source: 247wallst.com, "CME is launching Uniswap and Bitcoin Cash futures: do futures actually move prices?"