CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) announced the launch of Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures on June 9. The contracts are financially settled to the value of the Nasdaq CME Crypto Settlement Price Index, which tracks the performance of major cryptocurrencies.

The index includes bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ether, SOL, XRP, ADA, LINK, and lumens as of June 9. The futures contracts are listed on CME and subject to its rules.

"With trading now officially underway, our new Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures represent a major milestone in the expansion of our regulated digital asset marketplace," said Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group.

Sean Wasserman, Head of Index Product Management at Nasdaq, said the futures contracts address growing demand for benchmarks built with governance and transparency standards expected in other asset classes.

The contracts allow investors to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency ecosystem through a regulated futures marketplace. CME Group operates as a derivatives marketplace offering futures and options trading across multiple asset classes including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products and metals.

The company provides trading through its CME Globex platform and operates CME Clearing, a central counterparty clearing provider.