CME Group Launches 24/7 Gold and Oil Futures Trading Starting July 26

CME Group announced Thursday evening that it will launch 24/7 trading for smaller gold and oil futures contracts, with gold futures starting July 26 and oil futures beginning August 30. The move responds to extreme volatility during Asian market opens on Sundays, when traders first react to weekend news and events, particularly uncertainty surrounding peace agreements in the Iran War. The shift addresses a gap in regulated trading options, as futures markets currently close from Friday evening to Sunday evening, forcing some traders to use cryptocurrency markets and gold-backed tokens to hedge weekend market risks.

CME Launches Smaller Oil and Gold Futures Contracts

The world's largest derivatives exchange will offer a new WTI crude oil futures contract sized at 1/10th of CME Group's existing Micro WTI futures. The 10-Barrel WTI contract will be cash-settled.

The one-ounce gold futures contract launched in January 2025 and was specifically targeted toward retail traders. The exchange reported solid activity in the contract so far this year, with a daily average volume of about 90,000 contracts. The one-ounce contract is also cash-settled.

"Traders are increasingly looking to diversify their portfolios across commodity markets in the face of geopolitical uncertainty," said Derek Sammann, CME Group Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Commodities Markets. "Our new WTI and Gold futures provide regulated products that are right-sized and available 24/7, ensuring traders can manage exposure whenever news breaks."

Traders Currently Use Cryptocurrency for Weekend Hedging

Because futures markets are closed from Friday evening to Sunday evening, some traders have turned to cryptocurrency markets and the use of gold-backed tokens to hedge some of the weekend market risks. Both gold and oil have seen extreme volatility during the Asian market open on Sundays, which is the first opportunity traders have to react to events and news announced during the weekend.

Gold Trading Begins July 26, Oil Trading Starts August 30

Gold futures will start trading through the weekend on July 26. Oil futures will start trading 24/7 on August 30.

FAQ

When will CME Group start 24/7 gold and oil futures trading?

Gold futures will start trading through the weekend on July 26, and oil futures will start trading 24/7 on August 30.

What size are the new CME gold and oil futures contracts?

The new WTI crude oil futures contract is 1/10th the size of CME Group's existing Micro WTI futures, consisting of 10 barrels and cash-settled. The gold contract is one ounce and also cash-settled, having launched in January 2025 with a daily average volume of about 90,000 contracts.