NEX Group plc
2018
$5.5B
Outcome
Created premier cross-market venue combining electronic cash government bond trading with futures execution.
CME Group
Financial Exchanges & Global Derivatives Market InfrastructureFounded 1898- HQ today: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: November 2026
Acquisitions
CME Group Acquisitions
3
Major Deals Covered
$26.0B
Disclosed Deal Value
What are CME Group's biggest acquisitions?
CME Group's largest disclosed acquisition here is Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) for $11 in 2007. This page covers 3 major deals from 2007 to 2018, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.
- Major deals covered
- 3
- Largest deal
- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) ($11)
- First deal
- 2007
- Most recent
- 2018
| Company | Year | Price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) | 2007 | $11.0B | — |
| NYMEX Holdings (NYMEX & COMEX) | 2008 | $9.5B | — |
| NEX Group plc | 2018 | $5.5B | — |
- What companies has CME Group bought?
- Major acquisitions by CME Group documented here include Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) (2007), NYMEX Holdings (NYMEX & COMEX) (2008) and NEX Group plc (2018).
- What is CME Group's most recent acquisition?
- The most recent CME Group acquisition documented here is NEX Group plc, in 2018, for $5.5.
NYMEX Holdings (NYMEX & COMEX)
2008
$9.5B
Outcome
Added WTI crude oil and Henry Hub natural gas to CME, establishing a multi-asset commodities derivatives monopoly.
Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT)
2007
$11.0B
Outcome
Consolidated US Treasury bond futures and agricultural benchmarks under unified Globex trading and CME Clearing.
CME Group's Growth & Acquisition Strategy
The company's strategic roadmap focuses on capturing 24-hour international trading volume, expanding cryptocurrency and digital asset regulated futures, deepening cross-margining efficiencies with clearing partners (like DTCC for Treasury repo), and scaling high-margin market data and analytics revenue.
How CME Group Makes Money
CME Group operates a high-margin clearing and transaction fee business model. It earns clearing and transaction fees on every futures and options-on-futures contract executed across its electronic Globex trading platform. CME's vertically integrated clearinghouse (CME Clearing) guarantees the performance of every trade, virtually eliminating counterparty risk and allowing CME to capture both trading execution and clearing settlement margins. In addition, CME generates recurring high-margin revenue from proprietary real-time market data licensing, co-location and connectivity port fees, and index calculation partnerships with S&P Dow Jones Indices, delivering operating profit margins exceeding 65%.
CME Group Acquisitions FAQ
Does CME Group acquire other companies?
Yes, CME Group executes targeted acquisitions to integrate complementary technologies, expand intellectual property, and enter new market verticals.
What is CME Group's acquisition strategy?
CME Group focuses on bolt-on acquisitions that can be rapidly integrated into its core technology architecture and commercial distribution channels.
How does CME Group fund its acquisitions?
Acquisitions are typically funded through cash from operations, revolving credit facilities, and strategic equity considerations.
What was one of CME Group's notable acquisitions?
CME Group has acquired specialized technology assets that enhance its core platform capabilities and expand its addressable customer base.
How does CME Group handle post-merger integration?
By migrating acquired codebases into its unified cloud infrastructure and retaining key engineering talent within specialized innovation pods.
Are acquisitions a primary or secondary growth driver?
Inorganic growth is secondary to robust organic product development, serving as a tactical accelerator for specific strategic capabilities.
Related M&A Histories
Compare corporate acquisition records, deal values, and strategic targets
Explore CME Group
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.