CME starts 24/7 crypto futures and options trading on May 29

CME sets 24/7 launch date

CME Group will start 24/7 trading for its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options on 29 May. Trading will begin at 4:00 p.m. Central Time on the CME Globex electronic platform. The change is subject to regulatory review by the relevant derivatives regulators. This move shifts CME’s crypto derivatives from a weekday schedule to near-continuous availability.

Coverage across four major coins

The new schedule applies to CME’s existing cryptocurrency derivatives suite. This suite includes Bitcoin (BTC) futures and options, Ether (ETH) contracts, Solana (SOL) futures, and XRP-linked products. These instruments are futures and options traded on a regulated futures exchange. CME has expanded this line over several years, adding Solana and XRP contracts after the earlier Bitcoin and Ether products.

Maintenance window limits full continuity

The 24/7 description includes a planned maintenance break each week. CME and secondary sources state that there will be at least a two-hour maintenance period over the weekend. During this window, trading on the crypto contracts will pause for system work. Outside this brief break, the futures and options will remain available around the clock.

Weekend trades use next business date

Trades executed between Friday evening and Sunday evening will not use the calendar date of execution as the formal trade date. Instead, they will carry the trade date of the following business day, typically Monday. Clearing, settlement and regulatory reporting for these weekend trades will also occur on that next business day. This approach aligns the derivatives recordkeeping with existing futures market conventions while expanding trading hours.