Financial and Business News

Retail Traders Could See Fewer Weekend Gaps as CME Prepares 24/7 Crypto Trading

Thursday, 19/02/2026 | 16:51 GMT by Tareq Sikder
  • Continuous trading begins on CME Globex with a brief weekend maintenance window.
  • The firm’s crypto derivatives averaged 407K contracts daily in 2026 year to date, rising 46% year over year.
CME Group

CME Group said its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options will be available for trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week, pending regulatory review.

While CME does not offer direct retail access, the move may have indirect implications for retail traders. Those who access CME products through brokers or futures commission merchants could see smaller weekend price gaps and closer alignment with spot cryptocurrency markets. The change may also improve hedging flexibility outside standard trading hours.

CME Launches 24/7 Crypto Futures Trading

Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME
Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME, Source: LinkedIn

The exchange will begin continuous trading on Friday, May 29, at 4:00 p.m. CT. Products will trade on CME Globex with at least a two-hour maintenance window over the weekend.

Trades executed from Friday evening through Sunday evening will carry a trade date of the following business day. Clearing , settlement, and regulatory reporting will also be processed the next business day.

Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group, said demand has increased.

He stated that “Client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high,” and that this drove “a record $3 trillion in notional volume across our Cryptocurrency futures and options in 2025.” He added that continuous access allows clients to manage exposure “at any time.”

Derivatives Trading Shows Rising Activity Levels

CME reported record activity in its cryptocurrency derivatives in 2026. Average daily volume reached 407,200 contracts year-to-date, up 46% year-over-year. Average daily open interest rose 7% to 335,400 contracts, while futures average daily volume increased 47% to 403,900 contracts.

The exchange operates futures and options markets across multiple asset classes, including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products, metals, and cryptocurrencies. It also provides clearing through CME Clearing and offers fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on EBS.

CME Group said its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options will be available for trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week, pending regulatory review.

While CME does not offer direct retail access, the move may have indirect implications for retail traders. Those who access CME products through brokers or futures commission merchants could see smaller weekend price gaps and closer alignment with spot cryptocurrency markets. The change may also improve hedging flexibility outside standard trading hours.

CME Launches 24/7 Crypto Futures Trading

Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME
Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME, Source: LinkedIn

The exchange will begin continuous trading on Friday, May 29, at 4:00 p.m. CT. Products will trade on CME Globex with at least a two-hour maintenance window over the weekend.

Trades executed from Friday evening through Sunday evening will carry a trade date of the following business day. Clearing , settlement, and regulatory reporting will also be processed the next business day.

Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group, said demand has increased.

He stated that “Client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high,” and that this drove “a record $3 trillion in notional volume across our Cryptocurrency futures and options in 2025.” He added that continuous access allows clients to manage exposure “at any time.”

Derivatives Trading Shows Rising Activity Levels

CME reported record activity in its cryptocurrency derivatives in 2026. Average daily volume reached 407,200 contracts year-to-date, up 46% year-over-year. Average daily open interest rose 7% to 335,400 contracts, while futures average daily volume increased 47% to 403,900 contracts.

The exchange operates futures and options markets across multiple asset classes, including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products, metals, and cryptocurrencies. It also provides clearing through CME Clearing and offers fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on EBS.

Topics
CME Group
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About the Author: Tareq Sikder
Tareq Sikder
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A Forex technical analyst and writer who has been engaged in financial writing for 12 years.

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