ICE, Eurex signal push into ‘economic indicator’ contracts – IDX 2026

Speaking at the 2026 FIA International Derivatives Expo (IDX) in London on Tuesday, Chris Rhodes, president of ICE Futures Europe, said the exchange was developing the products.

"We are launching markets of economic variables, subject to regulatory approval," Rhodes said on the IDX panel.

ICE will refer to the products as "economic indicator contracts" to distinguish them from retail-focused prediction markets.

The discussion came during a panel on European competitiveness, where speakers debated the role of prediction markets and event-based contracts in traditional derivatives markets.

Institutional case for event contracts

Robbert Booij, chief executive of Eurex, said event-based contracts linked to economic outcomes could serve a useful role for institutional investors.

"I think there are some event contracts that are actually quite useful from an institutional perspective," Booij said.

"If you think about inflation, if you think about unemployment figures, if you think about central bank decisions, those are things that institutional investors have a view on and want to hedge."

Booij said exchanges should focus on contracts that allow market participants to manage risk around economic outcomes rather than purely speculative events.

His comments contrasted with Gaspard Bonin, deputy global head of derivatives execution and clearing at BNP Paribas, who questioned the significance of prediction markets within the wider financial system.

"Prediction markets today are tiny compared to global markets," Bonin said.

The comments suggest major exchange operators are looking at ways to offer event-based products within established derivatives market structures as interest in prediction markets grows.

The discussion comes as regulators globally grapple with the rise of event contracts. In the United States, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is reviewing its approach to prediction markets and recently proposed a framework for assessing contracts linked to activities such as gaming and sporting events.

European exchanges have so far taken a more cautious approach, with panellists emphasising the potential role of event-based contracts as risk management tools for institutional investors.

"If you think about inflation, unemployment figures and central bank decisions, those are things where people genuinely have risk exposures and views," Booij said.

FIA’s president and CEO, Walt Lukken, opened the 2026 IDX event on Tuesday by saying that the shift towards 24/7 trading is driven by crypto exchanges, changing retail participation and advancement in market technology.