CME Group is launching 24/7 crypto trading today, marking a major shift for its derivatives business. Beginning May 29 at 4:00 p.m. CT, its cryptocurrency futures and options will trade continuously on the CME Globex platform, with only short maintenance pauses each week. Therefore, institutional clients can now manage crypto risk every day rather than waiting for U.S. market hours to reopen.
According to CME, the move comes “in response to client demand” for round-the-clock access to digital asset hedging. The firm said its regulated cryptocurrency contracts will be available “24 hours a day, seven days a week beginning on May 29,” subject to regulatory oversight. Moreover, all trades executed from Friday evening through Sunday evening will clear and settle on the following business day, keeping back-office processes aligned with traditional markets.
Nine Major Crypto Futures Included
From launch, CME’s 24/7 schedule covers futures and options tied to bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), solana (SOL), XRP, cardano (ADA), chainlink (LINK), stellar (XLM), avalanche (AVAX), and sui (SUI). CME recently added AVAX and SUI futures to its existing altcoin roster, which already included ADA, LINK, and XLM alongside its longer-running BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL contracts. Consequently, large traders can now run diversified crypto derivative strategies without pausing for weekends.
CME Group noted in its release that “client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high,” noting record open interest across its crypto products. The new hours match the breakneck speed of spot markets, and the exchange expects institutions to more easily fine-tune holdings around big news and price fluctuations. In addition, traders say continual activity could reduce the weekend price discrepancies that appear between CME futures and offshore markets.
The company first announced plans to launch 24-hour trading in late 2025, claiming it would offer 24/7 access to crypto futures and options in early 2026, subject to regulatory review. The formal launch sees the world’s largest derivatives marketplace keep pace with the digital assets’ always-on rhythm while keeping its products within a fully regulated environment. The new timetable still includes a maintenance window of at least two hours each weekend, and systems also take short daily breaks to upgrade and complete risk checks.
READ MORE: Will Pi Network Price Hit Record Low Ahead of 166 Million Token Unlocks?
