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CME’s 24/7 Crypto Trading Expansion
The world’s largest regulated derivatives exchange announced that its crypto futures and options, currently covering Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), will become tradable 24/7 early next year, pending regulatory approval.
“While not all markets lend themselves to operating 24/7, client demand for around-the-clock cryptocurrency trading has grown as market participants need to manage their risk every day of the week,” Tim McCourt, CME’s global head of equities, FX, and alternative products, said in a statement. “Ensuring that our regulated cryptocurrency markets are always on will enable clients to trade with confidence at any time.”
While the initiative aligns CME with spot crypto markets that operate nonstop, CME doesn’t expect it to be a perfect match.
Currently, trading in CME’s crypto vehicles is halted during weekends and outside business hours. However, under the new structure, traders will be able to access products via CME Globex at any time and on any day, except for a two-hour weekly maintenance period. Moreover, holiday and weekend trades will still settle on the next business day, maintaining consistency in reporting and clearing operations.
 
The move could appeal to institutions that seek the stability of a regulated exchange without the limitations of standard trading hours. If greenlit, CME’s 24/7 trading access could give it an advantage over offshore crypto exchanges that already offer investors around-the-clock trading but operate with much less regulatory oversight.
CME Derivatives Grow
CME’s regulated cryptocurrency derivatives have witnessed record volumes this year, as crypto becomes more deeply embedded in traditional finance under the pro-crypto Donald Trump administration and U.S. regulators adopting a more lenient perspective.
The total notional open interest (OI), which represents the dollar value of the number of active or open contracts at a given time, hit a record $40 billion in mid-September, according to CME. The exchange recorded 335,200 outstanding contracts in August, up 94% year-over-year.
Meanwhile, CME is preparing to list options on Solana and XRP futures on Oct. 13, widening its regulated offerings beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum in a bid to attract more crypto-savvy institutional clients.