Solana Futures Debut on CME, Signaling Mainstream Adoption

Solana (SOL) futures began trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) on March 17, marking a significant step towards mainstream adoption. The CME listed standard contracts (500 SOL) and micro contracts (25 SOL). On the first day, nearly 40,000 SOL futures, valued at approximately $5 million, were traded. Early data suggests a bearish sentiment, with April futures priced at $127 per SOL, $2 less than March contracts. Trading firms FalconX and StoneX executed the first SOL futures trade on March 16. Experts anticipate potential approval of spot Solana ETFs by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as early as May, with Bloomberg Intelligence estimating a 70% approval likelihood. The SEC has until October 2025 to decide on the filings. The launch of Solana futures on CME follows the listing of Bitcoin and Ether futures and could pave the way for Solana ETFs.