FTSE Russell
- 12-Year Renewal: The extended partnership between FTSE Russell and CME Group underscores our shared commitment to global index-based innovation.
- Liquidity Growth: Trading in FTSE Russell futures has tripled since 2017, exceeding 573 million contracts and expanding investor access.
- Product Expansion: New tools like Micro E-mini futures, event contracts, and total return futures enhance investor flexibility and efficiency.
When FTSE Russell and CME Group announced their partnership in 2015, it paved the way for Russell index futures to return to trading on CME two years later, reuniting one of the most popular US equity benchmark families with the leading derivatives marketplace. Over the following decade, our collaboration evolved into a relationship defined by growth, innovation and a shared focus on liquidity and transparency.
In October 2025, our partnership entered its next chapter with a 12-year extension agreement. This reaffirmed both organisations’ commitment to serving clients with robust, globally recognized index-based solutions.
A track record of expanding liquidity
A track record of expanding liquidity”, please change the text to read: “Trading in FTSE Russell index derivatives at CME Group has grown steadily alongside investor demand for efficient benchmark exposure. Since trading in Russell 2000 futures returned to CME Group in 2017 after a nine-year absence, more than 573 million FTSE Russell index-related futures and options contracts have[Note1], reflecting deep liquidity and sustained market confidence. In 2017, the full FTSE Russell index suite averaged 95,000 contracts in daily volume. In 2025, that figure has more than trebled to an average 304,000 contracts daily. This year, that figure has more than trebled to an average 304,000 contracts daily. This year, E-mini Russell 2000 Index Futures (RTY) have averaged 217,000 traded contracts per day, while Micro E-mini Russell 2000 Index Futures (M2K) have averaged 85,000 contracts per day, demonstrating strong engagement across both institutional and active individual investors.
This growth reflects how investors globally are using FTSE Russell benchmarks in increasingly sophisticated, capital-efficient ways. Our collaboration with CME Group continues to expand the reach of our indices while delivering tangible benefits in liquidity and transparency.
Fiona Bassett
Key milestones: Expanding through innovation
Over the past decade, FTSE Russell and CME Group have continually expanded the suite of index-based solutions available to investors by introducing new products that enhance flexibility, transparency and precision in managing market exposure.
FTSE Russell-CME Group partnership milestones, 2015-2025
Notable launches have included total return futures on the Russell 2000 and Russell 1000 indexes, as well as spot-quoted futures on the Russell 2000—each designed to broaden the toolkit investors can use to manage exposure and deploy capital more effectively with FTSE Russell benchmarks.
Recent innovations, such as daily options and event contracts on the E-mini Russell 2000, have further expanded access for active individual and retail investors. These flexible instruments make it easier to express short-term market views, manage risk around key events and participate in index-linked strategies with lower capital requirements. With the addition of FTSE CoreCommodity CRB Index Futures, the collaboration grew beyond equities to offer diversified access to global commodity markets.
Product innovation has been central to our partnership with FTSE Russell. From micros to multi-asset benchmarks, we’ve worked together to help clients access new opportunities while benefiting from CME Group’s deep liquidity and capital efficiencies.
Paul Woolman
After ten years of shared progress, FTSE Russell and CME Group mark this milestone with an eye toward the future. The renewal of our partnership through 2037 reflects a shared confidence in what has been achieved and a continued commitment to advancing the next generation of index-based solutions.
Footnotes
[1] As at October 2025. See FTSE Russell and CME Group Extend Index Derivatives Licence Through 2037 | LSEG. Between 2008 and 2017, Russell index futures were traded on the ICE exchange under an exclusive agreement. Before 2008, Russell index futures traded on both CME and ICE. | Back to Note 1
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© 2025 London Stock Exchange Group plc and its applicable group undertakings (“LSEG”). LSEG includes (1) FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”), (2) Frank Russell Company (“Russell”), (3) FTSE Global Debt Capital Markets Inc. and FTSE Global Debt Capital Markets Limited (together, “FTSE Canada”), (4) FTSE Fixed Income Europe Limited (“FTSE FI Europe”), (5) FTSE Fixed Income LLC (“FTSE FI”), (6) FTSE (Beijing) Consulting Limited (“WOFE”) (7) Refinitiv Benchmark Services (UK) Limited (“RBSL”), (8) Refinitiv Limited (“RL”) and (9) Beyond Ratings S.A.S. (“BR”). All rights reserved.
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