XML 25 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.25.3
Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Loss Contingency [Abstract]  
Contingencies Contingencies
Legal and Regulatory Matters. In the normal course of business, the company discusses matters with its regulators raised during regulatory examinations or otherwise subject to their inquiry and oversight. These matters could result in censures, fines, penalties or other sanctions. Management believes the outcome of any resulting actions will not have a material impact on the company's consolidated financial position or results of operations. However, the company is unable to predict the outcome or the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters, or the potential fines, penalties or injunctive or other equitable relief, if any, that may result from these matters.
A putative class action complaint was filed January 15, 2014 in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division, against CME Group Inc. and the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. The plaintiffs, certain Class B shareholders of CME Group and Class B members of CBOT, allege breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing for violations of their core rights granted in the defendants’ respective Certificates of Incorporation. On December 2, 2021, the court granted the plaintiffs’ motion for certification of a damages-only class. In early 2024, the defendants moved for summary judgment on all claims. On April 16, 2025, the court granted the motion in part and denied the motion in part, and set the remaining claims for a jury trial. After a three week trial, on July 25, 2025, the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the defendants on all counts. Plaintiffs have filed a post-trial motion seeking a new trial, and we expect the plaintiffs to appeal the verdict should the post-trial motions be denied.
In addition, the company is a defendant in, and has potential for, various other legal proceedings arising from its regular business activities. While the ultimate results of such proceedings against the company cannot be predicted with certainty, the company believes that the resolution of any of these matters on an individual or aggregate basis will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations. No accrual was required for contingent legal and regulatory matters as none were probable and estimable as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
Intellectual Property Indemnifications. Certain agreements with customers and other third parties related to accessing the CME Group platforms, utilizing market data services and licensing CME SPAN and SPAN 2 software may contain indemnifications from intellectual property claims that may be made against them as a result of their use of the applicable products and/or
services. The potential future claims relating to these indemnifications cannot be estimated and therefore no liability has been recorded.