The CME's ether futures market has reached a record high in open interest, surpassing $10 billion, indicating a surge in institutional interest. The number of large open interest holders hit a record 101 earlier this month. Ether's price has risen by 23% this month, briefly hitting new highs above $4,900. This increase aligns with growing institutional participation, as reflected in ether futures and options statistics, including over 500,000 open micro ether contracts and more than $1 billion in ether options open interest. Giovanni Vicioso from CME Group noted that this trend showcases a strengthening institutional ecosystem around ether, driven by increased network activity and positive regulatory developments. In contrast, standard bitcoin futures open interest remains lower compared to earlier highs. The overall enthusiasm in the ether market suggests a robust interest from both institutional and retail investors.

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