Never closes! CME opens 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options starting in May

As institutional investor demand rises, the U.S. derivatives giant CME Group announced that starting May 29, cryptocurrency futures and options will be available for "seven days a week, 24 hours a day" around-the-clock trading, covering digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The statement released by CME on Thursday implements their previously planned strategic goal to achieve "year-round, no-closed" cryptocurrency futures trading by 2026. However, this service is still pending regulatory approval.

Unlike traditional assets like stocks and bonds that close at night and on weekends, the spot cryptocurrency market operates 24/7. This "traditional market closed, crypto market open" difference often results in significant timing gaps and quote discontinuities when investors perform hedging and risk management in compliant markets.
CME's move aims to fill this critical gap, allowing investors to adjust positions and manage exposure in real-time through compliant, transparent derivative products at any time.
As a global leader in derivatives trading, CME launched Bitcoin futures as early as 2017, later extending its reach to Ethereum, successfully establishing itself as the preferred compliant venue for institutional funds to participate in cryptocurrency trading. In recent years, CME has steadily expanded its product line, adding derivatives for Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM).
Tim McCourt, Global Head of Stock, Foreign Exchange, and Alternative Investment Products at CME, stated that client demand for cryptocurrency risk management has reached "historic highs." According to statistics, the nominal trading volume of CME’s cryptocurrency futures and options in 2025 hit an astonishing $3 trillion.
In a statement, Tim McCourt noted, "Not all markets are suitable for 24-hour operation, but providing a year-round trading mechanism for our regulated, transparent crypto products ensures clients can manage risks and trade with confidence at any time."
This year, CME’s cryptocurrency business has delivered impressive results, with an average daily trading volume of 407,200 contracts, a 46% increase compared to the same period last year; average daily open interest reached 335,400 contracts, up 7%; and average daily futures trading volume hit 403,900 contracts, a 47% year-over-year increase.
Faced with accelerating institutional capital inflows, competition in the cryptocurrency derivatives market has intensified. Cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase and Kraken have recently invested billions of dollars to acquire derivatives service providers, strengthening their product offerings.