CME Group International Average Daily Volume Reaches Record 11.4 Million Contracts in Q1 2026, Up 30% from 2025

Rhea-AI Summary

CME Group (NYSE:CME) reported record international average daily volume (ADV) of 11.4 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 30% versus Q1 2025. Interest rate ADV hit 5.7 million contracts (+30%). Global ADV reached a record 36.2 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 22% year-over-year.

Regional records included EMEA 8.4 million ADV (+29%), APAC 2.6 million (+33%), LatAm 224,000 (+21%) and Canada 219,000 (+12%). Metals, energy, agriculture, equity index and FX all posted quarterly records internationally.

Positive

• International ADV reached a record 11.4M contracts (+30% YoY)
• Interest rate ADV of 5.7M contracts (+30% YoY)
• Global ADV hit 36.2M contracts in Q1 2026 (+22% YoY)
• APAC metals ADV surged +204%, signaling regional demand
• EMEA ADV reached 8.4M contracts (+29% YoY)

Negative

• International FX ADV grew only +1%, lagging other asset classes
• LatAm and Canada ADV remain small in absolute terms (224k and 219k)

News Market Reaction – CME

-2.50%

3 alerts

-2.50% Session close to close

$112.68B Market Cap

2.44K Volume

In the Apr 8 session, CME declined 2.50%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 3 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights record international activity, with Q1 2026 ADV reaching 11.4 million c...

Analysis

This announcement highlights record international activity, with Q1 2026 ADV reaching 11.4 million contracts, up 30% year-over-year, and global ADV at 36.2 million contracts. Growth was broad-based across interest rates, metals, energy, agriculture, equity index and FX, and across EMEA, APAC, LatAm and Canada. In context of recent record-volume releases, investors may focus on how these higher volumes translate into revenue and earnings, and whether activity levels remain resilient across regions and asset classes.

Key Figures

International ADV: 11.4 million contracts Interest rate ADV: 5.7 million contracts Metals volume growth: 116% increase +5 more

8 metrics

International ADV 11.4 million contracts Q1 2026 average daily volume, up 30% vs. Q1 2025

Interest rate ADV 5.7 million contracts Q1 2026 international interest rate ADV, up 30% YoY

Metals volume growth 116% increase International metals ADV growth in Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025

EMEA ADV 8.4 million contracts Q1 2026 EMEA ADV, up 29% vs. Q1 2025

APAC ADV 2.6 million contracts Q1 2026 APAC ADV, up 33% year-on-year

LatAm ADV 224,000 contracts Q1 2026 LatAm ADV, up 21% vs. Q1 2025

Canada ADV 219,000 contracts Q1 2026 Canada ADV, up 12% year-on-year

Global ADV 36.2 million contracts Q1 2026 global ADV, up 22% vs. Q1 2025

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 02 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Apr 02	Record ADV update	Positive	+2.8%	Announced record monthly and quarterly ADV across major product complexes.
Mar 11	Earnings call notice	Neutral	-1.0%	Scheduled Q1 2026 earnings release and investor conference call details.
Mar 09	Energy volume record	Positive	+0.6%	Reported all-time daily volume record in energy complex driven by volatility.
Mar 08	New product launch	Positive	+0.6%	Announced first trades in new South Asia crude palm oil futures suite.
Mar 03	Dairy records	Positive	-0.4%	Reported new open interest and ADV records in dairy futures and options.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent record-volume and product-launch news has generally been met with modestly positive price reactions, suggesting the market responds constructively but not explosively to CME’s operational milestones.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, CME has repeatedly highlighted record activity across its franchises. On Mar 3, it reported new dairy futures and options records. This was followed by a new energy complex daily volume record on Mar 9 and first trades in South Asia crude palm oil futures on Mar 8. A Apr 2 release then disclosed all-time record monthly and quarterly ADV. Today’s international ADV record further extends this volume-driven growth narrative across regions and asset classes.

Key Terms

otc markets, central counterparty clearing

2 terms

otc markets financial

"enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios"

Over-the-counter (OTC) markets are trading venues where buyers and sellers deal directly through dealers or electronic networks instead of on a formal exchange; think of a neighborhood flea market versus a supermarket. They matter to investors because OTC-listed stocks often represent smaller or international companies with fewer reporting requirements, which can mean lower liquidity, wider price swings and higher risk but sometimes earlier access to growth opportunities.

View in glossary

central counterparty clearing technical

"operates one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing"

A central counterparty clearing (CCP) is a specialized financial intermediary that sits between buyers and sellers of securities or derivatives, becoming the buyer to every seller and the seller to every buyer to guarantee trades are completed. Like an insurance-backed referee, it manages the risk of someone failing to pay by requiring collateral, pooling resources, and simplifying many trades into smaller net payments, which helps investors by lowering the chance of loss from a counterparty default and improving market stability and liquidity.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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• All-time high ADV for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LatAm) and Canada
• For the first time ever, quarterly international ADV for interest rate, metals, energy, agricultural products, equity index and FX all reached record levels

LONDON and SINGAPORE, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced that its international average daily volume (ADV) reached a record 11.4 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 30% over Q1 2025.

Reflecting all trading reported outside the United States, this strong performance was driven by record interest rate ADV of 5.7 million contracts, up 30% year-over-year. For the first time, all-time quarterly records also were reached across metals up 116%, energy up 62%, agricultural products up 16%, equity index up 11% and FX up 1%.

"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," said Julie Winkler, Senior Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, CME Group. "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 Q1 2026, EMEA ADV hit a record 8.4 million contracts, up 29% from Q1 2025. The region saw ADV records across all asset classes, with metals up 75%, energy up 53%, interest rate up 31%, equity index up 17%, agricultural products up 13% and FX up 1%.

APAC ADV grew to an all-time high of 2.6 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 33% year-on-year.  This was driven by new ADV records in metals up 204%, energy up 101%, interest rate up 26% and agricultural products up 22%.

LatAm ADV reached a record 224,000 contracts in Q1 2026, up 21% from Q1 2025. 

Canada ADV also achieved a record 219,000 contracts in Q1 2026, up 12% year-on-year.

Globally, CME Group reported a record ADV of 36.2 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 22% over Q1 2025. Additionally, for the first time ever, quarterly volumes reached record levels across interest rate, energy, metals, equity index, agriculture and foreign exchange products.

As the world's leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products and metals.  The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform.  In addition, it operates one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing. 

CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("S&P DJI"). "S&P®", "S&P 500®", "SPY®", "SPX®", US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

 CME-G

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SOURCE CME Group

FAQ

What was CME (CME) international ADV in Q1 2026?

CME reported international ADV of 11.4 million contracts in Q1 2026. According to the company, this represents a 30% increase versus Q1 2025 driven by record volumes across major asset classes internationally.

How large was CME's interest rate ADV in Q1 2026 (CME)?

Interest rate ADV was 5.7 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 30% year-over-year. According to the company, interest rates were the leading contributor to international volume growth.

What were regional ADV trends for CME in Q1 2026?

EMEA ADV hit 8.4M (+29%) and APAC ADV reached 2.6M (+33%). According to the company, both regions set multiple asset-class records in Q1 2026.

Did CME see record volumes across asset classes in Q1 2026?

Yes. CME reached quarterly records across interest rates, metals, energy, agriculture, equity index and FX internationally. According to the company, every major asset class recorded all-time quarterly highs.

What was CME's global ADV in Q1 2026 and its growth?

CME reported a global ADV of 36.2 million contracts in Q1 2026, up 22% year-over-year. According to the company, this marks a record quarter for total global derivatives activity.

Which asset class lagged in CME's international growth in Q1 2026?

Foreign exchange (FX) ADV rose only 1% internationally in Q1 2026. According to the company, FX growth trailed metals, energy and interest rates during the quarter.