CME Group Announces 24/7 Crypto Derivatives Trading Launch Set for May 29
Why Is CME Moving to Round-the-Clock Crypto Trading?
CME Group will begin offering 24/7 cryptocurrency futures and options trading starting May 29, pending regulatory review, extending access to its regulated digital asset derivatives at a time of rising institutional demand.
The change formalizes earlier plans to make its crypto futures “always on” in 2026. Unlike equities and many other traditional asset classes, digital assets trade continuously on spot exchanges. That round-the-clock activity has created timing gaps for institutions using regulated derivatives markets for hedging and risk management.
By aligning its trading hours more closely with the underlying crypto markets, CME is responding to client demand for uninterrupted access to bitcoin and ether-linked contracts.
Investor Takeaway
What Do the Volume Figures Show?
CME reported record activity across its cryptocurrency derivatives complex in 2025, with $3 trillion in notional volume traded in crypto futures and options. The exchange said crypto risk management demand has reached “an all-time high.”
Year to date in 2026, average daily crypto volume stands at 407,200 contracts, up 46% from a year earlier. Average daily open interest has risen 7% to 335,400 contracts. Futures volume alone has averaged 403,900 contracts per day, a 47% increase year-over-year.
Tim McCourt, CME’s global head of equities, FX, and alternative products, said: “While not all markets lend themselves to operating 24/7, providing always-on access to our regulated, transparent cryptocurrency products ensures clients can manage their exposure and trade with confidence at any time.”
CME first launched bitcoin futures in 2017 and later expanded into ether futures and options, building a regulated derivatives offering aimed at institutional participants. More recently, it added products tied to Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar.
How Does This Fit Into Broader Market Competition?
The move comes as exchanges compete to capture institutional crypto derivatives flow. Coinbase and Kraken have both spent heavily acquiring derivatives infrastructure to expand their own offerings, seeking to deepen their presence in regulated markets.
CME, already the world’s largest derivatives marketplace, has also broadened its footprint beyond core crypto futures. It recently partnered with FanDuel to launch a U.S. prediction markets platform, expanding into adjacent event-based contracts as competition intensifies.
With institutional trading desks increasingly active in digital assets, round-the-clock futures access may become a baseline expectation rather than a differentiator. Continuous trading reduces the risk that price moves in spot markets leave derivatives users exposed during market closures.
What Comes Next for Regulated Crypto Derivatives?
The 24/7 rollout remains subject to regulatory review, but its timing reflects sustained growth in both volumes and open interest. As traditional finance and crypto-native firms compete for derivatives market share, infrastructure and trading-hour alignment are becoming central to product design.
For institutions managing large crypto allocations, the ability to hedge continuously on a regulated venue removes one of the practical frictions that has separated spot and derivatives markets. CME’s expansion suggests that demand for regulated crypto exposure is no longer confined to trading windows shaped by traditional asset classes.
