CME Group international trading surges to record 11.4 million contracts in Q1

CME Group (NYSE:CME) reported record international average daily volume for the first quarter of 2026, as global market participants ramped up hedging activity across interest rates and commodities amid a volatile start to the year.

The Chicago-based exchange operator saw international average daily volume (ADV) climb to 11.4 million contracts, representing a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

The growth was led by a substantial spike in interest rate products, which also rose 30% to hit 5.7 million contracts daily.

On a global scale, the company's total ADV reached an unprecedented 36.2 million contracts, up 22% year-over-year.

The surge in activity was broad-based geographically, with several regions posting all-time highs.

In the EMEA region, volume grew 29% to an average of 8.4 million contracts per day.

The Asia-Pacific market saw even faster expansion, with ADV rising 33% to 2.6 million.

Significant gains were also recorded in Latin America and Canada, which saw volume increases of 21% and 12%, respectively.