CME Group has launched round-the-clock trading for crude oil and gold futures, proposing new contracts that trade 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new crude oil contract will have a size one-tenth that of the existing Micro WTI futures and is scheduled to launch on August 30; meanwhile, the 1-ounce gold futures contract will begin round-the-clock trading on July 26.
CME Group announced on Thursday its plan to launch new smaller-sized crude oil futures contracts, as well as extend around-the-clock trading for its existing gold contracts, thereby expanding 24/7 trading services for WTI crude oil and gold.
According to the announcement, the new crude oil-linked contract will be one-tenth the size of the existing Micro WTI Crude Oil futures contract and will debut on August 30. Around-the-clock trading for the 1-ounce gold futures contract will commence on July 26. Both contracts are subject to regulatory review, will be cash-settled, and will be listed on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the Commodity Exchange (COMEX), respectively.
This move comes amid growing popularity of 24/7 trading on platforms such as Hyperliquid. Following severe market volatility in energy markets triggered by the Iran war, trading volumes of crude oil-linked products on these platforms have surged significantly. Bloomberg previously reported that Intercontinental Exchange Inc. and CME Group are pressuring U.S. regulators to impose restrictions on this offshore trading venue.
Derek Sammann, Managing Director and Global Head of Commodities Markets at CME Group, stated: 'Amid geopolitical uncertainty, traders are increasingly seeking portfolio diversification in commodity markets.'
CME Group reported that WTI crude oil options reached a record average daily volume of 320,000 contracts in the first quarter of 2026. In May, the Micro WTI Crude Oil futures averaged 272,000 contracts per day, representing a 317% increase compared to May 2025.
The 1-ounce gold futures contract, launched by the company in January 2025, achieved an average daily volume of 90,000 contracts in 2026. CME Group noted that its benchmark gold futures contract had a daily notional trading value of $100 billion in 2025.
In other recent developments, CME Group announced several new product launches and strategic advancements. The company will launch four new E-mini equity index futures contracts on June 29, pending regulatory review. These contracts include: E-mini Morningstar U.S. Total Market Index Futures, E-miniRussell 3000 IndexFutures, E-mini S&P 1500 Composite Index Futures, and E-mini S&P Total Market Index Futures. These products will cover more than 90% of the investable U.S. market capitalization.
Joe Hickey, Global Head of Equity Products at CME Group, said the introduction of these new contracts further enhances the company’s equity index product suite, aiming to meet clients’ growing demand for risk management tools.
Additionally, CME Group plans to launch Micro options on the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq-100 Index. These options will be cash-settled and sized at one-tenth of the existing E-mini options.