CME's newly launched futures contracts are cash-settled and based on the CME CF reference rate, allowing traders to gain price exposure without directly holding the underlying assets. By introducing micro contracts, CME has also opened the door for smaller firms and active retail traders.
Currently, futures for Avalanche and Sui are available for trading.
CME is eager to provide more options for institutional investors, helping them diversify their cryptocurrency portfolios. Institutions believe that investors are not only focused on large coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum but are also interested in other Layer-1 blockchain ecosystems. Networks like Avalanche and Sui offer different capabilities, higher scalability, and new opportunities in DeFi News and payment solutions, enabling institutional investors to spread risk and optimize their portfolios.
In the first quarter of 2026, CME's crypto products saw a significant increase in average daily open interest, with more institutional investors entering the market. According to exchange data, the average daily open interest (ADOI) reached 313.9K contracts, a 25% increase compared to the first quarter of 2025. The exchange also noted that the recently launched futures contracts have seen significant trading activity.
CME pointed out that AVAX and SUI have a moderately high correlation with Bitcoin, meaning they follow broader market trends while also providing unique investment opportunities. Notably, AVAX has a higher correlation with smart contract and high-throughput platform tokens like ADA and SOL, while SUI has a lower correlation with the overall market, particularly with payment networks like Stellar and XRP.
Despite both coins showing a bearish trend under macroeconomic events, they are gradually strengthening due to increased adoption and network expansion, with the potential for breakthroughs soon.