CME Launches Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap Futures: FalconX and GSR Execute the First Block Trade

CME Launches Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap Futures: FalconX and GSR Execute the First Block Trade

Regulated derivatives are reaching new altcoins. On October 20, 2026, CME Group announced that FalconX and GSR had executed the first block trade in its new Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures.

The launch was scheduled for October 19, pending regulatory review. Volumes of the first trades were not disclosed in the press release.

Contract sizes

For each coin, the exchange introduced two contracts: a standard one and a micro one. The micro version is ten times smaller and is aimed at those for whom the standard lot is too large.

In our view, the micro lots matter more here than they might seem. They are what open the instrument to small funds and individual traders who need to fine-tune a hedge.

How CME's other altcoin futures are doing

In 2026, CME has already launched futures on Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Avalanche and Sui. Since the start of the year, they have generated more than $1 billion in combined notional volume.

That figure covers the whole lineup, not individual coins. But it shows there is demand for regulated altcoin contracts.

Giovanni Vicioso, CME's global head of cryptocurrency products, noted that clients now have more flexibility in managing risk through CME's around-the-clock market.

Why this is good news for the market

• institutional players get a regulated way to hedge BCH and UNI positions
• the coins gain one more venue for price discovery
• large players can enter through block trades without moving the exchange order book
• micro contracts lower the entry threshold

We believe the expansion of CME's lineup is gradually bringing altcoins closer to bitcoin and ether in terms of the instruments available.

What this means for the basis and arbitrage

With futures on CME, BCH and UNI get a new pair to compare: a regulated dated contract versus offshore perpetual futures and spot.

The basis - the difference between the futures price and spot - can diverge between CME and offshore venues. The reasons vary: CME has a different audience, different margin requirements and a fixed expiry date, while perps have funding instead.

From what we see, liquidity is usually thin when new contracts launch, and divergences can be more noticeable. But in a thin order book they are harder to capture without slippage.

This trade requires access to CME, which means a separate brokerage account and margin requirements. Without that, the CME basis remains a reference point rather than a working tool.

Our tools

Comparing the futures basis with funding on BCH and UNI perps is easier when the rates from every exchange are gathered in one window of the futures screener. Our arbitrage screener keeps dozens of venues in one window, refreshes quotes every second and shows each gap together with the volume actually behind it. The spread calculator helps you check what survives fees, network costs and slippage at your size. The bot is fully manual. It never connects to your exchange API keys.

To test the tools on a live market, ArbitrageScanner offers one day of free access to the whole ecosystem.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. When did CME launch Uniswap futures?

The launch was scheduled for October 19, 2026, pending regulatory review. On October 20, CME announced the first block trade.

2. What is the contract size for BCH futures on CME?

The standard contract is 250 BCH, and the micro contract is 25 BCH.

3. What is the contract size for UNI futures on CME?

The standard contract is 10,000 UNI, and the micro contract is 1,000 UNI.

4. Who executed the first trade in BCH and UNI futures on CME?

FalconX and GSR executed the first block trade. The size of the trade was not disclosed.

Conclusion

CME has added Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures with standard and micro contracts, and FalconX and GSR executed the first block trade. CME's altcoin futures lineup has already generated more than $1 billion in notional volume in 2026.

For the market, this is one more step for regulated derivatives into altcoins. For an arbitrage trader, it is a new point of comparison between the CME basis and offshore perps, best assessed with the thin liquidity at launch in mind.

IMPORTANT! We are software developers. We do not give recommendations or promises of earnings and we do not advise you to invest your money anywhere. Our software is fully manual, all your money stays under your own control. We show examples of how our clients have earned on arbitrage in the past, but we do not advise repeating those actions one to one. Your earnings depend solely on your own actions and on market factors.