CME to Launch 24/7 Trading for Cryptocurrency Futures Contracts
CME Group announces 24/7 trading for crypto futures and options starting in early 2026, addressing institutional demand and providing a regulated alternative to offshore platforms.
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Fact Check
The statement is confirmed by a recent news article from Investing.com (Source 10), which explicitly reports 'CME Group to offer 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options.' While older evidence from CME's website and academic sources (Sources 1, 3, 6, 7, 9) correctly describes the previous trading schedule as approximately 23 hours a day, five days a week, the newest evidence reports a change to this policy, confirming the statement about a future launch.
Summary
CME Group has announced plans to offer 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options starting in early 2026, subject to regulatory approval. This move aims to meet growing institutional demand for continuous trading and to mitigate price gaps from weekend market pauses. CME is expected to offer continuous trading with only a minimum two-hour maintenance period on weekends, with trades over weekends and holidays processed on the next business day.
Terms & Concepts
- Cryptocurrency Futures: Financial contracts that obligate the buyer to purchase, or the seller to sell, a digital asset at a predetermined future date and price.
- 24/7 Trading: A trading environment where markets operate continuously without closing, removing time-based restrictions for buying or selling.
- Price Gap Risk: The risk of significant price differences between the closing and opening levels of a market due to non-trading periods.