The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group has addressed speculation about potential XRP and Solana futures contracts, confirming that no official decision has been made regarding their launch.
The clarification came after details about the proposed futures contracts appeared briefly on a beta version of CME's website on January 22. The page, which was swiftly removed, contained specifications for the contracts and suggested a February 10 launch date, pending regulatory approval.
A CME spokesperson explained that the beta website, typically used for internal mock-up drafts, was accidentally made public. The spokesperson emphasized that the organization has not finalized any decisions about launching futures contracts for either cryptocurrency.
The incident triggered market reactions, with both cryptocurrencies experiencing modest price declines. Solana's price dropped 1.79% to $249.61, while XRP declined 0.98% to $3.16 within 24 hours of the news.
Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart questioned the authenticity of the information, noting concerns about the public accessibility of a beta testing site. However, some market observers remained optimistic about the potential for future launches.
The speculation comes amid growing interest in cryptocurrency investment products. Bloomberg's senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted that cryptocurrency ETF applications have doubled recently, with 33 filings currently under SEC review.
The leaked information suggested plans for standard contracts sized at 50,000 XRP and 500 SOL, along with smaller "micro" versions at 2,500 XRP and 25 SOL respectively. However, these specifications remain unofficial following CME's clarification.
While the immediate prospects for XRP and Solana futures remain uncertain, the incident has sparked discussions about the expanding range of regulated cryptocurrency investment products in the United States.