Crypto derivatives volume at CME Group jumped 129% in April, led by Ethereum.

CME Group’s crypto derivatives market experienced a powerful upswing in April, with trading volumes climbing to $8.9 billion in notional value, propelled by a surge in ether-based products.

The exchange reported an average daily volume (ADV) of 183,000 contracts, marking a 129% year-over-year increase. The impressive growth points to heightened institutional demand and increased usage of regulated crypto exposure.

Ether futures were the standout performers, with ADV rising 239% to 14,000 contracts, while micro ether futures followed suit with a 165% spike to 63,000 contracts. Micro bitcoin futures also posted strong gains, climbing 115% to 78,000 contracts daily.

CME offers both standard contracts—sized at 5 BTC or 50 ETH—and micro contracts that allow traders to manage smaller, more precise positions, each representing 0.1 BTC or 0.1 ETH.

April’s jump follows record-setting activity in Q1, as CME continues to attract institutional traders looking for secure, transparent access to crypto markets. The firm also posted a broader ADV record of 35.9 million contracts across all products, up 36% from last year.

On the price front, ether underperformed, edging up just 1.1% in the past 30 days. In contrast, bitcoin gained 15.8%, while the broader CoinDesk 20 Index rose 12.1%, highlighting a divergence between trading activity and asset price momentum.