CME Group Moves Bitcoin And Ether Derivatives To Round-The-Clock Trading From May 29

Record Volumes Drive Expansion Of Trading Hours

The exchange said demand for risk management tools in digital assets has accelerated, with cryptocurrency derivatives generating $3 trillion in notional volume in 2025.

Crypto products have become a growing contributor to CME’s overall activity, which reached record levels across asset classes.

Average daily crypto contract volume has climbed sharply in recent years, reflecting increased participation from institutional traders and the expansion of micro-sized contracts designed for more precise exposure management.

Institutional Market Share Continues To Rise

Although offshore venues still dominate global crypto derivatives flow, CME’s regulated framework and established connectivity to traditional financial firms have steadily increased its share of the market.

Continuous trading is expected to strengthen that position by allowing institutions to hedge portfolios and manage collateral in real time rather than waiting for traditional market hours.

Convergence Of Traditional And Crypto Market Structure

The shift reflects a broader trend in which digital assets are being integrated into existing derivatives infrastructure rather than operating in parallel offshore systems.

With regulated futures now available around the clock, institutional participants will be able to respond immediately to macro events, ETF flows and spot-market volatility regardless of time zone.

The new schedule is set to take effect at 4:00 p.m. Central Time on May 29.

Murtuza is a seasoned finance journalist with extensive experience covering cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. He has contributed to Benzinga and Cointelegraph, among other publications, reporting on emerging trends, the regulatory landscape, and more. Find him at @murtuza_merc on Twitter and mmerchant001 on Telegram. Disclosure: Murtuza holds ATOM, AKT, TIA, INJ, and OSMO.