What was announced by Nasdaq and CME Group?

 

On January 8, Nasdaq and CME Group announced a deepening of their long-standing partnership through the reintroduction of the Nasdaq Crypto™ Index as the Nasdaq CME Crypto™ Index (NCI™). The index rebrand is effective January 20, 2026. 

The rebranded NCI™ creates a strengthened index designed to establish a leading benchmark for institutional-grade digital asset exposure and future derivatives innovation.This partnership is an evolution of a long-term relationship between Nasdaq and CME Group that combines two of the most trusted names in global market infrastructure at a moment when institutional crypto adoption is accelerating.

 

Why does this announcement matter for Hashdex?

 

Hashdex has been an early and active partner in the Nasdaq crypto index ecosystem. We co-developed and launched the NCI™ with Nasdaq in 2021 and the index currently underpins nearly $1B of Hashdex products across the US, Europe, and Latin America. This includes NCIQ, the first multi-crypto asset index ETP in the US. This announcement validates the approach Hashdex has taken for years: building diversified, index-based crypto exposure on top of institutional-grade benchmarks with strong governance.

 

What does this mean for existing Hashdex clients?

 

For clients invested in Hashdex products that track the NCI™, the partnership between Nasdaq and CME helps to reinforce the benchmark’s credibility and the long-term durability of the index. The NCI™ continues to have the same strict methodology, governance, and transparency. 

The Nasdaq/CME partnership brings crypto closer to the standards investors already rely on in equities, fixed income, and commodities. Clients are invested in a benchmark backed by Nasdaq’s decades of index expertise, CME’s derivatives and price discovery leadership, and the NCI’s™ robust rules-based methodology we believe is setting the standard for digital asset benchmarks. 

 

Will this partnership between Nasdaq and CME Group result in any changes to the structure of the NCI™?

 

This partnership will not alter the methodology used by the NCI™ to determine assets and their level of exposure within the index with the exception of an additional criterion requiring core custodians to maintain a comprehensive Information Sharing Agreement with the CME. This announcement reflects a shared commitment between Nasdaq and CME, which also aligns with our vision for the long-term growth of the NCI™ and other index-based products. 

 

Will the tickers or names change for Hashdex ETPs that track the NCI™?

 

The tickers for Hashdex ETPs that track the NCI™ will not change.

NCIQ, formerly the Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto™ Index US ETF, is now the “Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto Index ETF.” As of January 20, the Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto™ Index will replace the NCI US as the benchmark for NCIQ.  

The Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto ETP (ticker: HASH), available to investors in Europe, is now the Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto ETP. HASH11, the Brazil-based ETF that tracks the NCI™, is now the Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto Index FI. 

 

What’s Hashdex’s role with the NCI™ following this partnership?

 

Hashdex continues to be closely aligned with Nasdaq with a common vision for index-driven products within the crypto ecosystem. Hashdex co-developed the NCI™ with Nasdaq in 2021 and its suite of global multi-asset crypto ETF products will continue to be benchmarked to the NCI™ under its evolving structure.

 

Why does CME Group’s involvement matter to crypto investors?

 

CME Group brings decades of experience in regulated derivatives and institutional price discovery. Its crypto derivatives markets already serve as a reference point for institutional participation and this partnership creates a clearer path for derivatives and other products to be built on a common crypto benchmark, similar to what has happened in the past with equity index ecosystems like the Nasdaq-100. This strengthens the long-term roadmap for regulated crypto products globally—and supports Hashdex’s role as a bridge between traditional finance and digital assets. This brings crypto closer to the standards investors already rely on in equities, fixed income, and commodities.

 

What is the big picture takeaway for Hashdex and the market?

 

This announcement reinforces three core themes that have been evolving rapidly: The ongoing institutionalization of the crypto asset class, the increasing importance of indexes emerging as access points to crypto, and a dramatically improving regulatory environment that is giving both the crypto industry and investors more clarity around the emerging asset class. With this backdrop, we believe the Nasdaq CME Crypto™ Index will help define how global investors access and allocate to digital assets in the years ahead.

 

 

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^Disclosure:

^{NCIQ: Effective January 20, 2026, the Fund changed its name from Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF (NCIQ) to Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto Index ETF (NCIQ)}

^{Effective January 20, 2026, the index changed its name from Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) to Nasdaq CME Crypto™ Index.}

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