CME 24/7 Around-the-Clock Trading Begins, Upgrading Crypto Market Infrastructure

CME is systematically upgrading its crypto derivatives trading infrastructure. According to the latest news, in addition to the existing XRP and SOL futures already open for trading, CME is about to launch a 7×24-hour around-the-clock electronic trading service, which means that crypto options and futures will achieve truly 24/7 trading. At the same time, on February 9th, ADA, LINK, and XLM futures will also be launched, further expanding its crypto product lineup.

From 23 hours to 7×24, the leap in trading hours

Currently, CME's crypto futures trading has time restrictions. According to official disclosures, the current trading hours are 23 hours per day, from 6:00 PM on Sunday to 5:00 PM on Friday Eastern Time, with a one-hour maintenance break from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM Monday through Thursday. This means there is a one-hour trading gap each week.

The significance of this upgrade is to eliminate fragmentation in trading hours. For global investors, especially traders in Asia and Europe, there is no longer a need to wait for specific time windows to enter the market.

Product line expansion: from BTC, ETH to multi-asset ecosystem

CME's crypto derivatives layout is accelerating. Currently, existing products include Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana futures. On February 9th, three more mainstream cryptocurrencies will introduce futures contracts:

• Cardano (ADA) futures: standard contract of 100,000 ADA, micro contract of 10,000 ADA
• Chainlink (LINK) futures: standard contract of 5,000 LINK, micro contract of 250 LINK
• Stellar (XLM) futures: standard contract of 250,000 XLM, micro contract of 12,500 XLM

It is worth noting that CME offers both standard and micro contracts for each product. This differentiated design lowers the participation threshold, meeting the large trading needs of institutional investors while providing more flexible options for retail traders.

Market response is already evident

These infrastructure upgrades are not isolated events; the market has already responded. According to related information, Bitcoin hit a two-month high driven by easing US inflation and progress in regulatory policies, with trading prices breaking through $96,000. Meanwhile, XRP experienced a single-day increase of over 5% following CME's announcement of futures and options, and Solana maintained its upward momentum.

This indicates that market participants have realized that the improvement of institutional-grade infrastructure will bring more liquidity and accessibility to crypto assets.

Another milestone in institutionalization

From a broader perspective, CME's series of actions reflect the deepening of the institutionalization process in the crypto market. 24/7 around-the-clock trading not only enhances liquidity but more importantly shows that global financial infrastructure is gradually adapting to the characteristics of crypto assets.

Compared to traditional financial markets with fixed trading hours, the global nature of crypto assets necessitates a 24/7 trading mechanism. CME's move is a direct response to this demand.

Summary

CME's upgrade includes three key points: first, 7×24-hour around-the-clock trading eliminates time fragmentation, providing a better market participation experience for global investors; second, the addition of ADA, LINK, and XLM futures expands product coverage to meet diversified investor needs; finally, these initiatives mark the development of crypto derivatives infrastructure toward a more mature and professional direction. The market's positive response to these changes also confirms that these upgrades are genuinely meeting real market demands.