CME Group to Offer 24/7 Crypto Trading in 2026
CME Group is set to revolutionize its derivatives market by introducing round-the-clock trading for bitcoin and Ether futures and options. This move aims to meet the growing demand from institutional investors for constant risk management.
Expected to launch in early 2026, pending regulatory approval, this 24/7 trading will operate on CME Globex.It will include a brief weekly maintenance window,aligning with the non-stop nature of crypto markets.Tim McCourt, CME’s executive, noted the need to “manage risk every day of the week.”
The decision comes as CME experiences record crypto volumes. In September, notional open interest reached $39 billion, with daily contract volumes surging 230% year-on-year. This growth highlights the increasing institutional participation in crypto.
- September saw a record $39 billion notional open interest.
- August had an average daily open interest of 335,200 contracts, up 95% from the previous year.
- By late September, over 1,010 large traders held open interest in CME’s crypto products.
CME Group, a $95 billion derivatives giant, is adapting its core model for crypto. This shift underscores crypto’s growing economic importance. The company will use its vast CME Globex platform to address a unique challenge that other asset classes have not faced.
