| What to Know: - CME plans 24/7 trading for regulated crypto futures and options, pending approval. - Aligns derivatives with always-on spot markets; CFTC has signaled supportive stance. - Aims to enhance weekend hedging; competitive trend toward extended hours across exchanges. |
CME Group plans to enable 24/7 trading of its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options beginning May 29, subject to regulatory review. The shift aligns listed derivatives with crypto’s always-on spot markets. As reported by Decrypt, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has indicated support for such moves.
Coverage will span CME’s existing crypto futures and options suite. Continuous access is intended to improve weekend hedging and risk transfer for institutions. According to Bloomberg, the exchange is moving closer to crypto’s always-on trading model.
The hours change remains contingent on approvals. Timelines are not guaranteed, particularly during periods of regulatory disruption. As noted by Cointelegraph, some market observers question how quickly agencies can finalize reviews.
Competitively, the move tracks a broader migration toward extended hours across major venues. iTiger has detailed Nasdaq leadership’s expectation that equities will evolve toward 24-hour availability. Intercontinental Exchange is likewise engaged in updating market hours.
The operating model includes continuous trading with a brief, scheduled weekly maintenance pause. According to CryptoTimes, weekend and holiday executions will carry a trade date processed on the next business day. That convention keeps post-trade processing aligned with regulated reporting cycles.
CME positions the change as demand-driven within a regulated framework and subject to CFTC review. Management has pointed to record participation across listed crypto derivatives in recent years as a backdrop. “Client demand for continuous trading is at an all-time high,” said Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX & Alternative Products at CME Group, citing roughly $3 trillion in notional crypto derivatives volume in 2025.
Off-hours participation may be thinner, which can widen spreads and amplify short-term moves. Experts note that alignment with spot venues should improve weekend hedging capacity but does not guarantee uniform liquidity. These trade-offs are highlighted by CoinCentral as institutions recalibrate risk controls for a nonstop tape.
At the time of writing, CME Group Inc. (CME) traded near $303.29, up 0.55% intraday, based on Nasdaq real-time pricing. This market snapshot is provided for context and does not imply regulatory outcomes.
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