Nasdaq and CME Group to launch the Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index
The Nasdaq Stock Exchange and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) have teamed up to merge their crypto index and name it the Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index.
The NCI benchmark index includes Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), XRP (XRP), Solana (SOL), Chainlink (LINK), Cardano (ADA) and Avalanche (AVAX), Nasdaq spokespersons confirmed to Cointelegraph.
Sean Wasserman, head of index product management at Nasdaq, said in Friday's announcement:
We see an index-based approach in the direction investors are moving beyond Bitcoin. This is similar to what we've seen in other asset classes, you have indexes that represent the broader market.
The announcement comes amid an accelerated institutional rush into crypto, digital assets and blockchain technology, as traditional financial infrastructure integrates digital railroads to prepare for an internet-first economy.
Related: Morgan Stanley to launch digital asset wallet as part of crypto product expansion
For the growing complexity, the market is moving to crypto index products.
Crypto index exchange-traded funds, which track the value of a basket of cryptocurrencies, will drive the next wave of crypto adoption, according to Wisdom Peck, head of digital assets at asset manager Wisdomtree.
Crypto index products remove the technical complexity of analyzing a wide range of digital assets, including tokens in various sectors, making them convenient for passive investors seeking crypto exposure, Peck told Cointelegraph.
At the time of writing, there were 29.66 million cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap, with more tokens being listed daily.
Matt Hogan, chief investment officer at Bitwise, shares the same view and says he is “excited” about the growth of crypto index products in 2026.
Demand for these investment vehicles is driven by investors looking for small, passive crypto allocations who can't commit to deep analysis of the ever-growing sector, Hugan said.
“The market is becoming more complex, and the use cases are increasing,” Hugan said in December
Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over – it's time to dream big again.
