Crypto markets never sleep. Bitcoin trades on a Saturday afternoon the same way it does on a Tuesday morning. Traditional exchanges, however, still follow fixed schedules. That gap has created tension for years, especially for large investors who want regulated tools but also need constant access. CME Group says it is ready to close that gap.
The Chicago based exchange announced plans to begin round the clock trading for its cryptocurrency futures and options contracts, pending regulatory approval. The change is expected to take effect in late May 2026, with only a short weekly pause for system maintenance.
This decision follows what CME describes as record demand for crypto risk management products. In 2025 alone, crypto futures and options on the exchange recorded about $3 trillion in notional trading activity. That level of volume isn’t driven by small retail traders. It reflects hedge funds, asset managers, trading firms and institutions that want exposure to digital assets but within a regulated framework.
In a statement, a CME executive said client demand for regulated crypto tools is “at an all-time high,” adding that the shift to 24/7 trading is a natural next step as digital assets become more mainstream.
David Adubiina
Why 24/7 Crypto Futures and Options Trading Is a Major Shift for Institutional Investors
To understand why this is important, it helps to remember what futures and options are meant to do. For one, they’re tools that allow traders to manage risk. If Bitcoin moves sharply over a weekend, investors holding spot positions often have limited ways to hedge through traditional markets until they reopen.
By offering constant access on its Globex platform, CME allows participants to respond to price moves in real time, no matter the hour. This is especially relevant in crypto, where big announcements, exchange hacks, regulatory news, or macro events can move prices quickly, even outside regular business hours.
Under the new model, trades made over the weekend will still follow standard clearing rules. But the key difference is that traders will not be forced to wait for markets to reopen before adjusting positions. The exchange is adapting to the reality that crypto never pauses.
Still, there are operational concerns. In late 2025, a cooling failure at a CyrusOne data center triggered a major CME outage that temporarily halted futures trading across multiple asset classes, including crypto. Expanding 24/7 trading could increase exposure to such infrastructure risks, which have far-reaching effects if another failure occurs during heavy weekend trading.
Moreover, while continuous trading may reduce gaps in risk management, it could also lead to more short-term speculation by firms trying to capitalize on small price moves outside regular hours.
CME Group Expands Crypto Futures Offering Beyond Bitcoin and Ether
CME first launched Bitcoin futures in 2017, at a time when crypto was still viewed with deep skepticism in many financial circles. Since then, it has added Ether products and expanded its lineup further.
Earlier this year, CME introduced futures contracts tied to Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar. These additions signaled that institutional demand now goes beyond just Bitcoin and Ether. Market participants increasingly want regulated exposure to a wider range of digital assets.
This growth mirrors a larger trend. Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have attracted billions in assets globally, and large asset managers now openly discuss digital assets as part of diversified portfolios. CME’s expanding crypto suite shows how far the market has come from its early, experimental days.
The shift to full-time crypto trading is more than a schedule update. It is a signal about where digital assets stand today. When the world’s largest regulated derivatives marketplace adjusts its hours to match crypto’s rhythm, it shows that digital assets are no longer on the edge of finance. They are part of its core.
Jemi Motesho
