CME Group to Launch 24/7 Crypto Derivatives Trading in 2026

CME Group announced plans for 24/7 cryptocurrency trading on its CME Globex platform starting early 2026, pending regulatory approval, expanding access for futures and options.

This enhances risk management and market efficiency, closing “CME Gaps” with tighter price discovery and arbitrage opportunities relative to crypto-native exchanges.

CME’s 24/7 Initiative to Eliminate Weekend Price Gaps

CME Group’s initiative to offer 24/7 trading for its cryptocurrency derivatives set to commence in early 2026. This decision is subject to regulatory approval, with a weekly two-hour maintenance window. The move aims to meet client demand for continuous trading opportunities across global markets.

The structural change eliminates weekend price gaps, traditionally observed due to CME’s previous downtime. This enables more consistent risk management, hedging, and price discovery for Bitcoin and Ethereum on regulated platforms.

Tim McCourt from CME Group stated, “Ensuring that our regulated cryptocurrency markets are always on will enable clients to trade with confidence at any time.” This strategic change was a response to increasing client demand for risk management availability at all times.

Bitcoin’s Market Data and Expert Predictions

Did you know? CME began offering Bitcoin futures in 2017, marking its first major entry into the digital asset market. This historical step paved the way for regulated futures trading indices, influencing market stability and institutional competency.

According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin is trading at $121,838.10 with a market cap of $2.43 trillion. Its 24-hour trading volume decreased by 41.47% to $49.46 billion. Over the past 30 days, Bitcoin’s price has increased by 10.97%.

Experts from Coincu note that this change could set a precedent for more regulated platforms adopting 24/7 trading models. The research team suggests that the continuous setup will bridge gaps between traditional financial markets and the ever-operational crypto exchanges.

This aligns well with recent initiatives in the EU to enhance digital asset trading, showcasing a global trend toward seamless financial operations.