CME Group Sets New Records in Interest Rate Futures Open Interest, U.S. Treasury and SOFR Contracts

CME Group's interest rate futures open interest hit a record 40 million contracts on August 13, with U.S. Treasury futures and options open interest reaching a record 31.6 million contracts and SOFR futures open interest reaching a record 13.7 million contracts. The company's interest rate futures also set a record for large open interest holders at 3,526. This highlights the growing demand for risk management and price discovery across the yield curve.

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, announced that its interest rate futures open interest (OI) reached an all-time record of 40,031,688 contracts on August 13, 2025. This milestone is a testament to the growing demand for risk management and price discovery across the yield curve. The company's U.S. Treasury futures and options OI hit a record 31,615,333 contracts, while SOFR futures OI reached a record 13,738,220 contracts [1].

Mike Dennis, CME Group's Global Head of Fixed Income, stated, "New open interest records in our interest rate, U.S. Treasury and SOFR contracts highlight the market's growing need for risk management and price discovery across the yield curve. As clients navigate global uncertainty and shifting views on monetary policy, they are continuing to rely on our interest rate complex for precise hedging tools with deep liquidity and significant capital efficiencies."

The record OI is a reflection of the increasing use of interest rate derivatives for managing risk in an uncertain economic environment. CME Group offers futures and options on a broad range of benchmark products, including U.S. Treasuries, SOFR, Fed Funds, TBAs, credit, and more, with maturities from one week to 30 years. The company's U.S. Treasury and SOFR futures are also eligible for portfolio margining with other cleared interest rate swaps and futures, as well as cross-margining with FICC-cleared cash U.S. Treasury notes, bonds, and certain Repo transactions.

CME Group's interest rate futures market is known for its liquidity and efficiency, with clients able to access an unparalleled $20 billion in daily margin savings across the company's interest rate products. The company's U.S. Treasury and SOFR futures are traded side-by-side on the CME Globex platform with BrokerTec cash securities, providing clients with a seamless and integrated trading experience.

The record OI also highlights the growing importance of the SOFR futures market, which has become a leading tool for hedging USD short-term interest rates. With deep liquidity across the forward curve and 80 options expiries for fine-tuning exposures from one week to four years, SOFR futures offer a robust solution for managing interest rate risk.

In addition to its interest rate products, CME Group offers a wide range of other derivatives markets, including equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products, and metals. The company's commitment to innovation and customer service has earned it the distinction of being the world's most valuable exchange brand for the 11th year in a row.

References:
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cme-group-interest-rate-futures-open-interest-sets-new-record-of-40-million-contracts-302530468.html