Nasdaq and CME Launch Crypto Index Featuring Cardano
A new Nasdaq/CME Crypto Index has been advertised in New York's Times Square. The index notably features Cardano ($ADA) as a benchmark asset, intended for use in ETFs and other institutional funds.
- The index, officially named the Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index (NCI™), was reintroduced on January 8, 2026, unifying the crypto benchmarking efforts of Nasdaq and CME Group. - Other than Cardano ($ADA), the multi-asset index includes Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Chainlink, and Avalanche. - The index is calculated by the regulated crypto index provider CF Benchmarks and is overseen by a joint governance committee, with quarterly rebalancing of its constituents. - This collaboration is aimed at institutional investors, providing a trusted and transparent benchmark to facilitate the creation of regulated products like ETFs and derivatives. - The index is market-cap-weighted and designed to be a dynamic representation of the evolving digital asset market. - CME Group also offers futures contracts for Cardano, which began trading on February 9, 2026, further integrating the asset into regulated financial products. - The partnership builds upon Nasdaq's prior crypto index, the Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI), which first launched in February 2021 and laid the groundwork for institutional products.
