CoinDesk Indices launches CoinDesk 100 and Memecoin indices as demand surges for highly liquid, institutional-grade digital asset benchmarks

The crypto derivatives market is entering a new phase of maturity with the introduction of a memecoin perpetual futures contract, now listed on Bullish, one of the fastest-growing regulated digital asset exchanges. This listing follows  announcement from CoinDesk Indices, which has launched two new benchmarks:

• CoinDesk Memecoin Index – a broad-based index tracking the 50 most liquid memecoins, providing traders and institutions with structured exposure to one of the fastest-growing and volatile segments of the digital asset market.
• CoinDesk 100 Index – a comprehensive benchmark covering the top 100 digital assets, offering deeper market exposure and a single benchmark for institutional investment products and trading strategies.

Bullish has listed perpetual futures on both indices, allowing traders to gain exposure to these benchmarks with deep liquidity and 24/7 trading.

This launch builds on the success of the CoinDesk 20 and CoinDesk 80 perpetuals, which have collectively driven over $13.5 billion in volume, with the CoinDesk 80 index perpetual future trading millions daily since January 2025.

"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, Head of Institutional at Bullish. "We are thrilled to continue providing our clients access to the broader digital asset landscape, complementing these indices with our robust regulatory framework."

Why It Matters: The Growing Institutionalization of Crypto Indices

CoinDesk Indices' latest benchmarks come at a time when institutions are looking for trusted, rules-based exposure to crypto markets beyond bitcoin and ether. With over $30 billion in benchmarked assets, CoinDesk Indices has established itself as the leading provider of institutional-grade digital asset indices.

The CoinDesk Memecoin Index provides a structured, equal-weighted measure of the 50 most liquid memecoins. This segment has seen explosive growth in trading volume and derivatives interest, yet lacked a transparent benchmark for price discovery and risk management—until now.

"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 market participants to engage with these assets in a structured way.