CME crypto futures volume hits $3T as 24/7 trading gets green light

CME Group will allow 24/7 trading in its regulated crypto futures and options starting May 29, pending regulatory review, according to a press release by the company on Thursday.

The contracts listed on CME will move to nearly continuous trading on CME Globex, with only a minimum two-hour maintenance break over the weekend.

According to CME’s claims, so far this year, it has recorded an average daily volume of 407,200 contracts, up 46% from the same period last year, while average daily open interest stands at 335,400 contracts, up 7% year over year.

Futures alone account for 403,900 contracts in average daily volume, a 47% increase compared with last year. CME also reported $3 trillion in notional volume across its crypto futures and options in 2025.

CME moves crypto trading to a nonstop schedule

Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group, said, “Client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high, driving a record $3 trillion in notional volume across our Cryptocurrency futures and options in 2025.”

Tim added, “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.”

Under the new structure, trades placed from Friday evening through Sunday evening will carry the next business day’s trade date. Clearing, settlement, and regulatory reporting for those transactions will also be processed on the following business day.

CME said crypto futures and options have continued to post record activity in 2026 as more traders use listed derivatives to manage price swings in bitcoin and related contracts.

Markets slide as bitcoin, oil and metals react

Meanwhile, today the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 185 points, or 0.4%. The S&P 500 dropped 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.4%, as traders assessed Walmart’s latest earnings and rising tensions between the United States and Iran under President Donald Trump.

Walmart shares rose 2% after fourth-quarter results beat analyst expectations, though its full-year earnings outlook came in below forecasts. Ed Yardeni, President of Yardeni Research, wrote in a note to clients, “Purely from a valuation standpoint, the Mag-7 isn’t as expensive as it was, but it’s not cheap either.

The group’s forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio has fallen to 7.10, down from its November 3, 2025 peak of 8.33. But the P/S ratio remains higher than it has ever been outside of the past two years.”

Crude prices climbed as the standoff between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program continued. West Texas Intermediate futures rose more than 1% to trade above $66 per barrel.

Bitcoin traded just above $67,000, down about 1.6% over the past 24 hours. Total global crypto market capitalization fell 1.6% to $2.38 trillion. Bitcoin remains nearly 50% below its October 2025 record above $126,000.

Options data from Deribit shows that a $40,000 bitcoin put option is now the second-largest strike by open interest ahead of next week’s February expiry, signaling strong positioning for downside protection.

In metals, spot gold gained 0.2% to $4,989.09 per ounce by 1227 GMT, while U.S. gold futures for April delivery held at $5,008.60. Spot silver rose 0.9% to $77.87 per ounce after climbing more than 5% the previous day. Spot platinum fell 0.6% to $2,059.55 per ounce, and palladium dropped 1.7% to $1,686.47 per ounce.

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