The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) – among the top-tier derivatives marketplaces globally – aims to widen the scope of its crypto derivatives services, via introducing a new Ether (ETH)-powered solution. 

Specifically, CME reportedly disclosed details of its plan to introduce a micro Ether futures contract, sized at 0.1 ETH, supporting a new kind of Ether exposure, catering to institutional and individual traders.

The new solution will reportedly secure the fourth spot in the list of crypto derivatives solutions ever released by CME, with the expected timeline for rolling out will be on Dec. 6, 2021, needing to obtain regulatory greenlight.

The development reportedly surfaced during the time Ether is standing at near all-time high levels, following the digital coin posting its highest historical price on Oct 29th, aiming for $4,460. 

Tim McCourt, CME Group Global head of alternative investment products, reportedly revealed that the release of micro ETH futures plans to reel in an additional number of investors to the market, via supporting smaller investments.

“Since the launch of Ether futures in February, we have seen steady growth in liquidity in these contracts, especially among institutional traders. Micro Ether futures will offer even more choice and precision in how they trade Ether futures in a transparent, regulated and efficient manner at CME Group,” McCourt disclosed, further claiming that ETH price has “more than doubled” since these contracts were rolled out.

Micro Ether futures will reportedly be the newest addition to the developing list of ME Group’s offering of crypto derivatives, including Micro Bitcoin futures, with trading available beginning May of this year. 

With the contract individually having the equivalent of 0.1 BTC, the firm has reportedly traded more than 2.7 million contracts so far. The original and the first Bitcoin futures contract by CME was introduced on Dec. 17, 2017.