Every BitMEX ticker symbol follows a structured naming convention. The first part identifies the underlying asset (e.g. XBT for Bitcoin, ETH for Ethereum). For perpetual contracts, the symbol ends with the settlement currency (e.g. XBTUSD, ETHUSDT). For traditional futures, the symbol ends with a month letter code and a two-digit year (e.g. XBTM26 for a June 2026 expiry).
How Are BitMEX Ticker Symbols Structured?
BitMEX ticker symbols encode key contract information into a compact format. Each symbol contains two or three components that tell you the underlying asset, the settlement currency, and the expiry date (for futures).
For perpetual contracts, the format is:
-
Underlying asset code + Settlement currency (e.g. XBTUSD, ETHUSDT, SOLUSD)
For traditional futures contracts, the format is:
-
Underlying asset code + Month letter + Two-digit year (e.g. XBTM26, ETHZ25)
The underlying asset code always appears first. XBT represents Bitcoin. ETH represents Ethereum. SOL represents Solana. Other altcoins follow similar abbreviated codes. Refer to the Futures Month Codes documentation to see which months correspond to which letter.
What Do the Underlying Asset Codes Mean?
The first letters of a ticker identify which asset the contract tracks. BitMEX uses standardised abbreviations:
- XBT or BTC– Bitcoin
- ETH – Ethereum
- SOL – Solana
- ADA – Cardano
- DOGE – Dogecoin
XBT is the code BitMEX uses for Bitcoin because currencies not associated with a specific country begin with “X” under ISO 4217. This is why gold is XAU and silver is XAG. BitMEX adopted XBT early and has maintained it consistently.
The full list of available underlying assets and their codes is on the BitMEX Contract Specification page.
How Do Futures Contract Tickers Indicate Expiry?
Traditional futures on BitMEX append a month letter code and a two-digit year to the underlying asset code. This tells you exactly when the contract expires and settles.
The month letter codes follow the standard futures convention:
| Letter | Month | Letter | Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | January | N | July |
| G | February | Q | August |
| H | March | U | September |
| J | April | V | October |
| K | May | X | November |
| M | June | Z | December |
Examples:
- XBTM26 = Bitcoin futures expiring in June 2026
- XBTZ25 = Bitcoin futures expiring in December 2025
- ETHJ26 = Ethereum futures expiring in April 2026
These letters originate from the Chicago commodities trading tradition and are standard across global derivatives markets. Once you memorise the 12 month codes, you can decode any BitMEX futures ticker instantly.
If you are unsure about a specific ticker, the BitMEX Contract Specification page lists every active contract with its full details, including settlement date and time.
What is XBT?
XBT is the alternative financial ticker representing Bitcoin. BitMEX follows the ISO 4217 naming convention, which reserves the “X” prefix for non-national currencies. Gold is XAU, silver is XAG, and Bitcoin is XBT. This convention predates the widespread adoption of “BTC” by retail platforms.