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Derivatives Giant CME Group to Launch XRP Futures Next Month

CME Group is launching new futures contracts based on the payments altcoin XRP . The derivatives marketplace giant says in a new announcement that it will be rolling out a micro-sized XRP-based futures contract worth 2,500 XRP and a larger-sized one worth 50,000 XRP. The launch date is scheduled for May 19th, but the firm notes both contracts are still pending regulatory review. Giovanni Vicioso, CME’s global head of crypto products, says the new product rollout is due to burgeoning client demand for regulated products based on digital assets. “Interest in XRP and its underlying ledger (XRPL) has steadily increased as institutional and retail adoption for the network grows, and we are pleased to launch these new futures contracts to provide a capital-efficient toolset to support clients’ investment and hedging strategies.” CME Group first launched Bitcoin ( BTC ) futures in 2020 and Ethereum ( ETH ) futures in 2022, and in March, the marketplace added Solana ( SOL )-based contracts. The financial services firm’s futures products started rolling out on the retail trading giant Robinhood in January. XRP is trading at $2.19 at time of writing. The fourth-ranked crypto asset by market cap is down more than 1.5% in the past 24 hours but is up nearly 6% in the past week. Follow us on X , Facebook and Telegram Don`t Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox Check Price Action Surf The Daily Hodl Mix Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing. Generated Image: DALLE3 The post Derivatives Giant CME Group to Launch XRP Futures Next Month appeared first on The Daily Hodl . Finbold

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Ghost Town Vibes: Bitcoin Soars On ETFs, Not Users – Expert

Bitcoin this week reclaimed the $94,000 region, but the party may be lacking one key ingredient: real users. The cryptocurrency network is “like a ghost town” even with the record price increase, a crypto expert said. Related Reading: Ethereum ‘Heating Up’ – Address Activity Jumps Nearly 10% In 2 Days Bitcoin Surges In Price—Yet Network Remains Eerily Quiet A recent report by CryptoQuant analyst Maartunn shows a dramatic disconnect between Bitcoin’s rocketing price and its underlying network activity. “The Bitcoin network is a ghost town,” the analyst explained when comparing on-chain data to the coin’s current price. The study employs a 365-day moving average to record network activity from 2015. As years went by, activity and price followed one another. Around early 2025, though, they went different ways. Prices for bitcoin continued to rise even as growth in network activity dwindled and displayed more decreases than in the past. The Bitcoin Network is a ghost-town ☠️ This pump is driven by: – ETF Flows – Open Interest There is hardly any new visible on-chain demand. https://t.co/ceFuk9Wtnq pic.twitter.com/DmoXbxhxXx — Maartunn (@JA_Maartun) April 24, 2025 ETF Money Flooding In As Price Rises The true driving force behind Bitcoin’s surge seems to be institutional capital. According to Farside reports, Bitcoin ETFs witnessed a dramatic surge in money inflow from April 17. By April 21, investors had invested $381 million, and by April 23, it increased to $917 million as buying was still going on. This timing fits hand in glove with Bitcoin’s rise above $94,000 on April 23. The US Bitcoin ETFs have since inception raked in a whopping nearly $38 billion in net inflows, indicating how much big players in the financial market are transforming it. Related Reading: Cardano Set For 1,000% Explosion? Analyst Says ‘Just HODL’ On-Chain Data Indicates Decreasing User Activity Meanwhile, the statistics paint a clear picture of who is not behind the price: common users. Latest data indicates network activity decreased by 0.90% last week. The number of active addresses fell by 1.50% in that particular timeframe. Even more indicative, zero-balance addresses fell 12.50%, implying further wallets are remaining empty. Those figures create the image of a rally driven by forces beyond regular usage of the core network. Trump Meme Coin Briefly Steals The Spotlight In a surprise turn of events, some of the focus moved away from Bitcoin when US President Donald Trump’s staff released a statement saying that the holders of the largest amounts of the TRUMP meme coin would be invited to have dinner with the President. This created a rush to buy the meme coin. As interest in the TRUMP coin fizzled out, so too did interest in Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies. Some analysts noticed that this trend indicates the market still lacks sufficient buying pressure to have multiple hot trends simultaneously. Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView Finbold