The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or CME, recently appear plans to add Ethereum (ETH) futures to its offering — three years subsequently launching Bitcoin (BTC) futures. Marketplace development has impacted the exchange's decision to branch out.

"Since we launched the CME CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate and Real-Time Index in 2018, at that place has been significant growth in ether transactions, and increased customer demand for tools to manage toll take a chance," a CME representative told Cointelegraph.

Similar to CME'south Bitcoin Reference Charge per unit, the CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate and Real-Time Index essentially testify ETH's going market price. "As with any new product or service, we made the decision to launch Ether futures based on strong client demand and a clearly articulated demand," the representative said. "Listing Ether futures on a regulated, time-tested exchange will help to create a forrard curve for investors to hedge their exposure in the greenbacks marketplace."

The CME made the announcement on Dec. xvi, noting plans for the product's market place entrance in Feb of 2021. Regulation withal factors into the equation, even so. "We are engaged with the CFTC [Commodity Futures Trading Commission] and currently intend to certify in early Q1," the CME representative said.

The CME's Bitcoin futures trading product hitting the market on Dec. 17, 2017 — but over three years ago. The exchange and then launched Bitcoin options trading in early 2020. Both products take received notable volume numbers and attention.