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CME Group has announced plans to introduce round-the-clock trading for its cryptocurrency futures and options products, marking a significant expansion of its digital asset offerings. The Chicago-based derivatives marketplace will launch the service in early 2026, pending regulatory approval.
The move comes as the exchange reports record-breaking volumes in its cryptocurrency products throughout 2025, with market participants increasingly demanding the ability to manage risk outside traditional trading hours.
Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group
Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group, said:
"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. Ensuring that our regulated cryptocurrency markets are always on will enable clients to trade with confidence at any time."
From early 2026, cryptocurrency futures and options will trade continuously on CME Globex, with only a minimum two-hour weekly maintenance window scheduled over weekends. All trades executed from Friday evening through Sunday evening will carry a trade date of the following business day, with clearing, settlement and regulatory reporting processed accordingly.
The expansion follows a period of substantial growth for CME Group's cryptocurrency products. The exchange recorded notional open interest of $39 billion on 18 September, setting a new record. August saw average daily open interest reach 335,200 contracts, representing $31.6 billion in notional value—a 95% increase year-on-year.
Trading volumes also surged, with August average daily volume hitting 411,000 contracts, up 230% year-on-year and representing $14.9 billion in notional value. The week of 25 September saw more than 1,010 large open interest holders across cryptocurrency products, another record for the exchange.
CME Group is one of the world's largest derivatives marketplaces, offering futures, options and clearing services across multiple asset classes including interest rates, equity indices, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products, metals and cryptocurrencies. The company operates the CME Globex electronic trading platform, BrokerTec for fixed income, and the EBS foreign exchange platform.
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