VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

CME FedWatch Tool vs Open Payments (CMS) comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

CME FedWatch Tool adds Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, and Calendar coverage that Open Payments (CMS) skips.

Open Payments (CMS) includes Regulatory Filings Monitoring categories that CME FedWatch Tool omits.

CME FedWatch Tool highlights: Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures., Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel., and Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view..

Open Payments (CMS) is known for: Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests., Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal., and Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style)..

CME FedWatch Tool logo

CME FedWatch Tool

cmegroup.com

Official CME probabilities for upcoming FOMC decisions, derived from 30‑Day Fed Funds (ZQ) futures. Web tool provides meeting‑by‑meeting probability matrices, comparisons over time, a historical download, and a Dot Plot view. A paid REST API is available for programmatic access. CME documents the probability‑tree methodology clearly; API snapshots update on business days at ~01:45 UTC. Media usage asks attribution to “CME FedWatch.”

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
  • Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
  • Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
  • One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.
  • Transparent methodology: unconditional probabilities via a binary probability tree built from implied EFFR, assuming 25 bp step sizes.

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Open Payments (CMS) logo

Open Payments (CMS)

openpaymentsdata.cms.gov

U.S. federal open‑data program (Affordable Care Act ‘Sunshine Act’) that publishes financial relationships between drug/device manufacturers (and GPOs) and healthcare providers (physicians, NPPs since PY2021, and teaching hospitals). CMS publishes the prior program year’s full datasets on or before June 30 each year and issues a January refresh. Data are accessible via the web search tool, bulk downloads, and a REST Open Data API (filter, query, aggregate).

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests.
  • Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal.
  • Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style).
  • Publication cadence: initial annual publication on/around June 30 for the prior year, plus a January data refresh.
  • Pre‑publication workflow: 45‑day recipient review & dispute (Apr 1–May 15) + 15‑day correction window (May 16–May 30).

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

3 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations.

Where they differ

CME FedWatch Tool

Distinct strengths include:

  • Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
  • Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
  • Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
  • One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.

Open Payments (CMS)

Distinct strengths include:

  • Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests.
  • Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal.
  • Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style).
  • Publication cadence: initial annual publication on/around June 30 for the prior year, plus a January data refresh.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeCME FedWatch ToolOpen Payments (CMS)
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations

Unique: Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Calendar

Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations

Unique: Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Futures

Other

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web, API

Web, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Free

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
  • Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
  • Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
  • One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.
  • Transparent methodology: unconditional probabilities via a binary probability tree built from implied EFFR, assuming 25 bp step sizes.
  • FedWatch REST API (OAuth2) with endpoints for /forecasts and /meetings (future/history); extended history available.

Unique

  • Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests.
  • Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal.
  • Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style).
  • Publication cadence: initial annual publication on/around June 30 for the prior year, plus a January data refresh.
  • Pre‑publication workflow: 45‑day recipient review & dispute (Apr 1–May 15) + 15‑day correction window (May 16–May 30).
  • Supplemental/lookup tables (e.g., Covered Recipient Profile Supplement; distinct physician profile) to aid joins.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Not yet

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

Standard listing

Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do CME FedWatch Tool and Open Payments (CMS) both support?

Both platforms cover Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Do CME FedWatch Tool and Open Payments (CMS) require subscriptions?

Both CME FedWatch Tool and Open Payments (CMS) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access CME FedWatch Tool and Open Payments (CMS)?

Both CME FedWatch Tool and Open Payments (CMS) prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

CME FedWatch Tool differentiates itself with Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures., Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel., and Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view., whereas Open Payments (CMS) stands out for Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests., Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal., and Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style)..

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.