The cryptocurrency derivatives market is entering a new era of maturity with the launch of memecoin perpetual futures on Bullish Exchange, a rapidly growing, regulated digital asset trading platform. This strategic development coincides with CoinDesk Indices unveiling two new institutional-grade benchmarks: the CoinDesk 100 Index and the CoinDesk Memecoin Index (CDMEME). These indices are designed to meet rising demand for transparent, rules-based digital asset benchmarks that support sophisticated trading, risk management, and investment strategies.
The Rise of Institutional-Grade Crypto Indices
As digital assets evolve beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, institutional investors are seeking diversified, liquid exposure to broader segments of the market. CoinDesk Indices has responded with two comprehensive benchmarks that offer structured access to both established and emerging crypto assets.
CoinDesk Memecoin Index (CDMEME): Bringing Structure to a Volatile Market
The CoinDesk Memecoin Index tracks the performance of the 50 most liquid memecoins, using an equal-weighted methodology. This approach ensures that both emerging and well-established memecoins are fairly represented, preventing dominance by a few high-market-cap tokens.
- Rebalanced monthly to reflect market shifts
- Weighting reset quarterly to allow trends to develop
- Pricing data pulled from both centralized and decentralized exchanges for accuracy and transparency
Memecoins, while highly speculative, have demonstrated explosive growth in trading volume and community engagement. Until now, the sector lacked a standardized benchmark for price discovery and derivatives pricing—making CDMEME a pivotal development in market infrastructure.
👉 Discover how index-based trading is reshaping crypto markets
CoinDesk 100 Index: A Comprehensive Benchmark for Digital Assets
The CoinDesk 100 Index unifies the CoinDesk 20 (large-cap assets) and CoinDesk 80 (mid- and small-cap assets) into a single, tradeable benchmark. It is market-cap-weighted with liquidity screening to ensure only viable, actively traded assets are included.
This index serves as a foundational reference for:
- Institutional investment products
- Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
- Risk modeling and portfolio diversification
- Algorithmic and quantitative trading strategies
With over $30 billion in benchmarked assets, CoinDesk Indices has solidified its position as a leader in institutional crypto data and index solutions.
Bullish Exchange Enhances Derivatives Offerings
Bullish Exchange has listed perpetual futures contracts for both the CoinDesk 100 and CoinDesk Memecoin Index, enabling traders to gain leveraged exposure to these benchmarks with deep liquidity and 24/7 trading availability.
This move builds on the success of previous index-based perpetuals—CoinDesk 20 and CoinDesk 80—which have generated over $13.5 billion in cumulative trading volume. Notably, the CoinDesk 80 perpetual has consistently seen millions in daily volume since January 2025.
"The CoinDesk Memecoin Index responds to traders' need for liquidity and volatility, while the CoinDesk 100 provides one-stop access to the most liquid tokens," said Chris Tyrer, VP and Head of Institutional at Bullish. "We're proud to expand our clients' access to the broader digital asset landscape, supported by our robust regulatory framework."
Why This Matters: Institutionalization of Crypto Markets
The introduction of these indices marks a significant step toward the institutionalization of cryptocurrency markets. By offering standardized, transparent benchmarks, CoinDesk Indices enables:
- Reliable pricing for derivatives and structured products
- Enhanced risk management capabilities
- Greater investor confidence in volatile asset classes
"The digital asset market is evolving beyond single-token exposure," said Alan Campbell, President of CoinDesk Indices. "These indices provide the liquidity and transparency needed for sophisticated trading strategies while enabling institutional participants to engage with these assets in a structured way."
Key Features of the New Indices
CoinDesk Memecoin Index: The Institutional Gateway to Meme Culture
- Tracks 50 highly liquid memecoins across major blockchains
- Equal-weighted to prevent concentration risk
- Transparent methodology with public rebalancing rules
- Backed by pricing from top-tier exchanges
- Perpetual futures now live on Bullish for active derivatives trading
CoinDesk 100 Index: The Broadest Tradable Benchmark
- Combines large-, mid-, and small-cap digital assets
- Designed for use in ETFs, futures, and OTC derivatives
- Liquidity-screened to ensure tradeability
- Regularly reviewed and updated to reflect market dynamics
- Serves as a benchmark for portfolio performance evaluation
Market Impact and Future Outlook
The launch of these indices—and their corresponding perpetual futures—signals a shift toward more mature, structured crypto trading ecosystems. Whether through futures contracts, structured notes, or index funds, investors now have reliable tools to navigate complex market segments.
Edmond Goh, Head of Trading at B2C2, emphasized the importance of benchmarking:
"Despite their speculative nature, we expect indices and perpetual futures to quickly become core trading instruments in the digital assets space. A CoinDesk index that tracks these tokens is an important milestone in building overall market structure."
👉 Explore advanced trading tools powered by real-time market benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is a memecoin perpetual future?
A: A memecoin perpetual future is a derivative contract that allows traders to speculate on the price of a memecoin index without expiration. It enables leveraged long or short positions based on the CoinDesk Memecoin Index.
Q: How are the memecoins selected for CDMEME?
A: Coins are selected based on liquidity, exchange availability, and trading volume. The top 50 most liquid memecoins are included and rebalanced monthly.
Q: Can retail investors access these index futures?
A: Access depends on jurisdiction and platform eligibility. While primarily targeted at institutional and professional traders, some regulated platforms may offer access to qualified retail users.
Q: What makes CoinDesk Indices different from other crypto benchmarks?
A: CoinDesk Indices follows strict methodology rules, incorporates multi-source pricing, and complies with financial benchmark standards (including BMR via its affiliate CC Data Limited), ensuring transparency and reliability.
Q: Why are perpetual futures important for crypto markets?
A: They provide continuous exposure without expiry dates, support hedging strategies, enable arbitrage opportunities, and enhance overall market liquidity.
Q: Are these indices available for use in ETFs or other financial products?
A: Yes—both indices are designed to serve as underlying benchmarks for ETFs, structured products, and derivatives offered by financial institutions.
The Road Ahead: Index-Driven Crypto Innovation
With the debut of the CoinDesk 100 and CoinDesk Memecoin Index, the crypto market is moving toward greater standardization and institutional adoption. These benchmarks not only provide clarity in volatile markets but also lay the groundwork for next-generation financial products—from algorithmic trading bots to decentralized index funds.
As demand grows for diversified exposure and risk-managed strategies, index-based trading will play an increasingly central role in shaping the future of digital finance.
👉 Stay ahead with cutting-edge insights into index-driven crypto trading
CoinDesk Indices continues to lead innovation in digital asset benchmarking, backed by rigorous methodology and regulatory compliance. Meanwhile, platforms like Bullish are expanding access to these tools through advanced derivatives offerings—bridging the gap between speculative markets and institutional-grade infrastructure.