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CME Group, the derivatives marketplace, recorded international average daily volume (ADV) of 11.4 million contracts in the first quarter of 2026, a 30% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
International volume reflects all trading reported outside the United States. The result was underpinned by record interest rate ADV of 5.7 million contracts, also up 30% year-over-year. For the first time, all-time quarterly records were reached across metals (up 116%), energy (up 62%), agricultural products (up 16%), equity index (up 11%) and foreign exchange (up 1%).
Julie Winkler, Senior Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, CME Group
Julie Winkler, Senior Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, CME Group said:
“This surge in trading activity demonstrates how our global client base is turning to CME Group to manage risk in real time, through our benchmark products and on a regulated marketplace. In this risk-always-on environment, our deeply liquid markets are critical for helping clients hedge their exposure and pursue opportunities across all asset classes and time zones.”
In the EMEA region, ADV reached a record 8.4 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 29% from Q1 2025. Records were set across all asset classes in the region, with metals up 75%, energy up 53%, interest rates up 31%, equity index up 17%, agricultural products up 13% and FX up 1%.
In Asia-Pacific, ADV grew to an all-time high of 2.6 million contracts, up 33% year-on-year. Growth in the region was led by metals, which rose 204%, followed by energy up 101%, interest rates up 26% and agricultural products up 22%.
Latin America ADV reached a record 224,000 contracts in Q1 2026, up 21% from Q1 2025, while Canada ADV also achieved a record 219,000 contracts, up 12% year-on-year.
At the global level, CME Group reported a record ADV of 36.2 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 22% over Q1 2025. Quarterly volumes reached record levels across interest rate, energy, metals, equity index, agriculture and foreign exchange products.
CME Group is a derivatives marketplace enabling clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets. Its exchanges offer benchmark products across interest rates, equity indices, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products and metals. The company operates futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform, and runs CME Clearing, a central counterparty clearing provider.
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