CME Group eyes 24/7 crypto derivatives trading expansion
The derivatives giant will extend futures and options access to round-the-clock trading in early 2026
gg5795/Shutterstock and Adobe modified by Blockworks
CME Group, the leading US derivatives exchange, announced it will begin offering 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options in early 2026, pending a regulatory review.
Under the plan, CME’s cryptocurrency products will trade continuously on the CME Globex platform with only a two-hour weekend maintenance period. Transactions executed during holidays or over weekends will carry the following business day’s trade date, with clearing and settlement also processed on that timeline.
“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,” said Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group. “Ensuring that our regulated cryptocurrency markets are always on will enable clients to trade with confidence at any time.”
The potential expansion comes on the heels of record volumes in CME’s crypto segment. In its latest market statistics, also published today, CME reported a record average daily volume of 340,000 cryptocurrency contracts in Q3 2025, representing about $14.1 billion in notional value. Ether futures reached a quarterly record of 236,000 contracts, while Micro Ether futures set a record of 209,000 contracts.
In September alone, cryptocurrency ADV hit 309,000 contracts, with Micro Ether futures surging 472% year over year. These gains underscore the deepening role of digital assets within CME’s broader portfolio, which also saw strong growth in US Treasury, equity index, and metals trading.
If implemented as planned, the shift will reduce traders’ reliance on offshore venues for weekend and overnight risk management. It also signals CME’s intent to capture a greater share of institutional crypto derivatives activity within regulated US markets, though the change will require infrastructure adjustments in clearing, margin, and settlement to handle continuous operations.
This is a developing story.
This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication.
Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:
- The Breakdown: Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily.
- 0xResearch: Alpha in your inbox. Think like an analyst.
