The world's leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group, has made a significant mark in the financial world. As of November 29, an astonishing number of more than 3 billion Micro E-mini Equity Index futures have been traded across all four major indices. This remarkable achievement showcases the growing popularity and importance of these futures contracts in the global market.

Testimonials from Industry Leaders

Tim McCourt, the Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group, emphasizes the significance of this milestone. "With over three billion of these contracts traded in less than five years, our Micro E-mini Equity Index futures continue to establish themselves among the most actively traded and deeply liquid index products." This highlights the trust and confidence that market participants have in these futures, which offer a flexible and efficient way to manage index exposure.Emily Spurling, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Index at Nasdaq, also extends her congratulations. "Nasdaq and CME Group have been providing investors with access to the Nasdaq-100 Index® through innovative products for more than 25 years. The Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 Index offers investors greater flexibility as they manage their portfolios. We look forward to our continued collaboration to deliver products that give investors more exposure to our Nasdaq-100 Index® ecosystem."Tim Brennan, Global Head of Capital Markets at S&P Dow Jones Indices, congratulates CME Group on reaching another significant market milestone. "This latest milestone reinforces the ongoing strength of both the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. These indices are widely regarded as the best single gauges of the U.S. equity market and are among the world's most watched and widely cited benchmarks."Shawn Creighton, Director of Index Derivatives Solutions for FTSE Russell, also expresses pride in CME Group's achievement. "FTSE Russell congratulates CME Group on reaching this significant milestone of three billion contracts traded across its Micro E-mini derivatives complex. The Russell 2000 Index has been a leading benchmark for small cap performance for nearly 40 years, and the Micro E-Mini Russell 2000 futures provide investors with a highly liquid and efficient U.S. small cap equity risk management tool."

Product Launches and Growth

Micro E-mini Equity Index futures became available for trading on the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100®, Russell 2000 and Dow Jones Industrial Average in May 2019, becoming one of the most successful new product launches in CME Group's nearly 180-year history. In addition, Micro E-mini S&P MidCap 400 and Micro E-mini SmallCap 600 futures joined the Micro E-mini futures suite in March 2023.Due to ongoing client demand and the strong support of index partners, brokers and the intermediary community, these contracts have continued to grow. In 2024-to-date, there have been an average of 2.5 million contracts in daily volume. Additionally, 19% of the volume occurs outside of U.S. trading hours, demonstrating the global reach and popularity of these futures. More than 700 firms and 620,000 unique accounts have traded these contracts in the last year, further highlighting their significance in the market.The success of these Micro E-mini futures can be attributed to their flexibility, liquidity and ability to meet the diverse needs of investors. They provide a convenient way to gain exposure to major indices and manage risk, making them an essential tool for both institutional and individual investors.As CME Group continues to innovate and expand its product offerings, it is likely that these Micro E-mini Equity Index futures will play an even more important role in the global financial markets. With their proven track record and continued growth, they are set to remain a key component of investors' portfolios for years to come.