CME Group to Introduce 24/7 Trading for Crypto Futures and Options in 2026

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives marketplace, is preparing to take a big step toward aligning traditional markets with crypto’s nonstop trading rhythm.

The company announced that its cryptocurrency futures and options products will move to a 24/7 schedule starting in early 2026, pending regulatory approval.

Why CME is going 24/7

In a statement, Tim McCourt, CME Group’s Global Head of Equities, FX, and Alternative Products, explained that demand for continuous trading has been steadily increasing.

“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,” McCourt said.

By extending access to its regulated crypto markets, CME aims to give traders the ability to hedge and manage positions at any time, not just during the traditional business week.

The new system will operate on CME Globex, with only a short weekly maintenance window of about two hours over the weekend.

While trades placed on weekends and holidays will still carry the following business day’s date for clearing and reporting purposes, clients will effectively gain uninterrupted access to crypto futures and options markets.

Record volumes ahead of the shift

The move comes at a time when CME’s cryptocurrency products are hitting all-time highs in activity. In September 2025, open interest in crypto futures reached a record $39 billion, while August recorded average daily open interest of 335,200 contracts, a 95% jump year-over-year, representing $31.6 billion in notional value.

Daily trading volumes also surged, with August averaging 411,000 contracts, a 230% increase compared to the same month in 2024.

Participation has broadened as well. The week of September 25 saw more than 1,010 large open interest holders across CME’s crypto products, signaling growing institutional adoption of Bitcoin and Ethereum derivatives.

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