CME Logs First Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap Futures Trade as FalconX and GSR Open
By Satoshi’s Wire
October 20, 2026
CME Group said on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 that FalconX and GSR executed the first block trade in its new Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures — the tape print that follows the exchange’s earlier listing calendar for those single-asset contracts. Giovanni Vicioso, CME’s global head of cryptocurrency products, framed the open as more versatility for clients managing crypto risk on the firm’s regulated 24/7 marketplace. This is a first-trade chapter, not a new listing announcement: the desk already logged CME’s October 19 start window in a prior chapter.
FalconX’s Griffin Sears, head of derivatives, said institutional demand is moving beyond the largest coins toward tokens with distinct use cases — Bitcoin Cash for payments framing and Uniswap for decentralized-finance exposure — and that a regulated venue gives institutions hedging and capital-efficient tools they have been asking for. GSR CEO Xin Song called crypto-derivatives liquidity a long-running core of GSR’s business and said supporting CME’s BCH and UNI futures from day one fits that role. Neither firm disclosed the block size, price, or which contract month carried the first print; treat those as still opaque until CME or the counterparties publish fills.
The contracts sit inside CME’s expanding single-asset crypto suite that already includes Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui futures. CME’s October 20 release put year-to-date 2026 crypto futures and options average daily volume above 242,000 contracts (~$7.9 billion notional) with average daily open interest near 240,000 contracts (~$14.3 billion notional). It also cited nearly $2 billion in year-to-date notional growth tied to the 2026 expansion into Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche, and Sui futures — context for why BCH and UNI are the next names on the board, not a claim that those two alone drove that ADV print.
For NFT and crypto desks watching institutional rails, a CME first print matters as a hedging venue signal more than as a spot-price catalyst. Futures on a clearinghouse do not move Uniswap pool fees or Bitcoin Cash merchant rails overnight; they give funds a listed path to express directional or basis views without holding the underlying token on an exchange wallet. Prior desk chapter: CME Group sets October 19 for Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures. Today’s beat is that trading is no longer a calendar promise — FalconX and GSR put the first block on the tape.
What still needs watching is follow-through volume, not the ceremony of a first trade. CME listed the contracts on and subject to CME rules; secondary screens will show whether BCH and UNI futures attract standing open interest beside BTC and ETH or sit as thin satellite names. Collectors should not confuse a derivatives open with marketplace royalty changes or NFT listing rules — those are separate venue stories. The useful tape check from here is whether daily volume and open interest in the new contracts show up in CME’s public crypto ADV tallies over the next sessions.
Tape watch: Track whether BCH and UNI futures print recurring ADV and open interest beside CME’s larger crypto contracts, whether FalconX or GSR disclose the first-block size later, and whether CME’s next weekly crypto volume wrap names the new contracts as material contributors.
Bottom line: CME Group confirmed on October 20, 2026 that FalconX and GSR executed the first block trade in its new Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures — trading is live after the October listing window.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or trading advice. The cryptocurrency and NFT markets are highly volatile, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions related to digital assets. The cover image for this article may have been created using artificial intelligence (AI).
