The CME Group announced on June 11 plans to offer round-the-clock trading for a new smaller WTI crude oil futures contract and for its existing 1-ounce gold futures contract, subject to regulatory approval [1, 2, 3].
The new WTI crude oil contract will represent 10 barrels per contract, one-tenth the size of the existing Micro WTI contract. It will be cash-settled and listed on NYMEX. This contract is scheduled to launch on August 30, 2026, with trading available 24 hours a day, seven days a week [1, 2, 3].
Meanwhile, 24/7 trading for the existing cash-settled 1-ounce gold futures contract on COMEX will begin July 26, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The gold futures contract was launched in January 2025 and averaged 90,000 contracts in daily volume during 2026 [2, 3].
The move to 24/7 trading aims to help investors better manage risks from weekend and holiday price moves and respond quickly to geopolitical events. CME senior managing director Derek Sammann said, “我们新推出的WTI原油和黄金期货提供了规模适中且全天候交易的受监管产品，确保交易员在突发新闻时能够及时管理风险敞口” [2].
WTI crude oil futures and options serve as a key global benchmark. In the first quarter of 2026, daily trading volume for WTI options hit a record 320,000 contracts. Micro WTI futures saw daily volume reach 272,000 contracts in May 2026, up 317% from May 2025, indicating strong market demand for smaller, flexible contracts [2, 3].
Both the WTI and gold contracts will be cash-settled and trade on CME’s NYMEX and COMEX exchanges respectively [1, 2, 3]. The smaller size of the new WTI contract is designed to attract a broader range of investors seeking fine-tuned risk management tools in a 24/7 market.
The CME Group will begin 24/7 trading for the 1-ounce gold futures contract on July 26, followed by the August 30 launch of the smaller WTI crude oil futures with continuous trading. Both offerings remain subject to regulatory approval before debuting to the market [1, 2, 3].
