CME XRP Futures See Record Open Interest Amid ETF Approval Optimism

CME Group’s XRP futures have hit all-time highs in turnover and open interest. This indicates that the asset is experiencing a spike in institutional interest as hope is also rising that a Ripple ETF will get approval this year.

Institutional Interest In XRP Futures Reach New High

CME Group reported that XRP futures volume on its platform has reached a new high, which speaks of increased interest in digital asset futures. The exchange also published that the amount of XRP and Micro XRP futures over the last three months amounted to more than 251,000 contracts exchanged.

A new record for XRP futures! 📈

They hit an all-time high in open interest with 6K+ contracts on August 18, right as their anniversary approaches.

It’s a clear sign of growing conviction in the market. ➡️ https://t.co/8nheY8T9FP pic.twitter.com/K6oEPFFzyc

— CME Group (@CMEGroup) August 21, 2025

Notional volume of this activity was $9.02 billion or approximately 12 million XRP tokens. This is higher than the $788 million notional volume recorded last month

A new milestone followed as XRP futures open interest hit an all-time high on August 18, with more than 6,000 contracts. The surge came just as CME prepared to mark the anniversary of its XRP futures launch. The figures signal growing conviction among professional and institutional traders looking for regulated XRP exposure.

CME highlighted that average daily volume stood at $143.2 million, showing consistent inflows and growing liquidity. XRP futures have now become a popular tool for speculation and hedging in regulated markets. Alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum, XRP has now secured a firm position in the exchange’s crypto derivatives suite.

Traders Peg Odds of XRP ETF at 78% for 2025

Speculation about the next major step for XRP now centers on a potential Ripple ETF. Traders in Polymarket have bet strong that it will be approved before the end of 2025. Recent odds are at 78%, up seven points in recent weeks. The prediction market has drawn more than $144,000 in trading volume, making it one of the more active crypto-related contracts.

Polymarket odds often move with regulatory developments and sentiment. A quick downturn in early August brought the likelihood down below 70%, but buyers immediately drew it back up. The swings indicate that participants are following new developments regarding the digital asset quite closely.

Traders Take Bullish Positions On XRP As Derivatives Holdings Reach $7.5 Billion

In addition to CME and prediction market activity, derivative trading on other exchanges across the world confirms bullishness as well. Coinglass data indicates that derivatives volume of XRP is at $7.52 billion, a decrease of 27 % over the previous levels. The open interest is at $7.50 billion, not as strong as before, nevertheless very solid in terms of position.

Options trading is also increasing with the volume increasing by 32% to $3,730 and the open interest surging by nearly 45% to 982,000. The heavy trading is showing bullishness on top trading platforms based on Long-short ratios. Accounts on Binance indicate a ratio in excess of 3.16.