Key Takeaways
- • CME Group's Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures are scheduled to debut October 19, 2026, subject to regulatory approval, bringing CME's crypto futures lineup to 11 products.
- • BCH open interest nearly doubled to around $295 million after the September 22, 2026 announcement, then fell back to approximately 560,000 BCH by October 18, close to pre-announcement levels, according to Santiment data.
- • Both contracts are cash-settled against CME CF reference prices, with standard and micro sizes: BCH standard (BCA) covers 250 BCH and Micro (MCH) covers 25 BCH; UNI standard covers 10,000 UNI and Micro (MUN) covers 1,000 UNI.
- • A regulated CME UNI futures market could help build the six-month futures trading history that pending ETF applications for the token require.
- • CME's crypto futures and options averaged 279,800 contracts and $8.3 billion in notional value in the first half of 2026.
Summary
CME Group's newest crypto futures, tied to Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap's UNI token, are set to begin trading on October 19, 2026, subject to regulatory approval. CME announced the listings on September 22, 2026. With the additions, the exchange's crypto futures lineup grows to 11 products, alongside its existing Bitcoin and Ether contracts, according to the primary source, TradingView.
Both new products are cash-settled against CME CF reference prices, so traders gain price exposure without holding the underlying tokens or managing a wallet. Each asset comes in two sizes. The standard BCH contract (ticker BCA) covers 250 BCH and the Micro contract (MCH) covers 25 BCH. The standard UNI contract represents 10,000 UNI, and the Micro contract (MUN) represents 1,000 UNI. Both sets are eligible for block trades, which allow large participants to negotiate sizable deals privately, and Basis Trade at Index Close (BTIC) variants, which let traders establish positions priced relative to the day's closing index level.
BCH's price rose roughly 25-30% in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, and open interest nearly doubled to around $295 million. Per Santiment data, that positioning unwound before launch: by October 18, open interest had fallen to approximately 560,000 BCH, close to its pre-announcement level. The reporting interprets the round trip as short-term speculative positioning rather than durable new demand, with the meaningful price and positioning moves occurring on the announcement rather than the launch.
UNI's reaction was more muted from the outset, and the token did not sustain its price momentum. Pending ETF applications for the token require a six-month history of futures trading. A regulated CME market would be the kind of track record that requirement contemplates, so trading from October 19 onward would begin that clock. Traders are advised to watch early volume and open interest, particularly in the Micro contracts, for signs that demand extends beyond the largest players. For context, CME's crypto futures and options activity in the first half of 2026 averaged 279,800 contracts, representing $8.3 billion in notional value.
Both new products are cash-settled against CME CF reference prices, so traders gain price exposure without holding the underlying tokens or managing a wallet. Each asset comes in two sizes. The standard BCH contract (ticker BCA) covers 250 BCH and the Micro contract (MCH) covers 25 BCH. The standard UNI contract represents 10,000 UNI, and the Micro contract (MUN) represents 1,000 UNI. Both sets are eligible for block trades, which allow large participants to negotiate sizable deals privately, and Basis Trade at Index Close (BTIC) variants, which let traders establish positions priced relative to the day's closing index level.
BCH's price rose roughly 25-30% in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, and open interest nearly doubled to around $295 million. Per Santiment data, that positioning unwound before launch: by October 18, open interest had fallen to approximately 560,000 BCH, close to its pre-announcement level. The reporting interprets the round trip as short-term speculative positioning rather than durable new demand, with the meaningful price and positioning moves occurring on the announcement rather than the launch.
UNI's reaction was more muted from the outset, and the token did not sustain its price momentum. Pending ETF applications for the token require a six-month history of futures trading. A regulated CME market would be the kind of track record that requirement contemplates, so trading from October 19 onward would begin that clock. Traders are advised to watch early volume and open interest, particularly in the Micro contracts, for signs that demand extends beyond the largest players. For context, CME's crypto futures and options activity in the first half of 2026 averaged 279,800 contracts, representing $8.3 billion in notional value.
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