The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group plans to introduce “always on” trading for crypto markets by early 2026, allowing 24/7 trading for cryptocurrency futures and options. This move follows growing demand from clients to manage risk every day of the week, with an open interest volume of $39 billion reported by CME Group.

Regulatory review for the 24/7 trading options is pending under the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), but the agency is operating on reduced operations due to a US government shutdown. CME Group CEO Terrence Duffy emphasized the market’s need for around-the-clock trading, especially in the crypto space, despite uncertainty about the shutdown’s impact.

While a US government shutdown extending into 2026 is unlikely, the lack of a proposed deal raised concerns. CME Group’s move to expand trading services to operate 24/7 aligns with market demand and the need for continuous risk management. The global crypto derivatives open interest stands at around $3.2 billion, with CME Group’s significant $39 billion notional open interest volume as of Sept. 18.

Read more at Cointelegraph: CME Group to Expand to Offer 24/7 Crypto Derivatives Trading in 2026