The launch extends round-the-clock access to two of the most actively traded commodity benchmarks, catering to a retail and active-trader base that has shown surging demand for micro-sized contracts amid heightened geopolitical risk. With Micro WTI volumes up over 300% year on year, CME is positioning these products to capture continued volatility-driven flow, particularly relevant given ongoing weekend-risk events in oil markets such as Iran-related developments.
CME Group will launch 24/7 trading for new 10-Barrel WTI crude oil futures on August 30 and extend 24/7 trading to 1-Ounce Gold futures from July 26, pending regulatory review, targeting traders seeking smaller, round-the-clock exposure.
Summary:
Source: CME Group
- CME Group will launch 24/7 trading for new 10-Barrel WTI Crude Oil futures (TCL) on August 30, pending regulatory review
- The new contract is 1/100th the size of standard WTI futures and 1/10th the size of Micro WTI futures, and will be cash-settled
- 24/7 trading for existing 1-Ounce Gold futures (1OZ) begins July 26, also pending regulatory review
- 1OZ Gold futures are 1/10th the size of Micro Gold and 1/100th of standard Gold contracts
- CME cited rising trader demand to diversify across commodities amid geopolitical uncertainty
- Micro WTI futures ADV reached 272,000 contracts in May, up 317% year on year, while WTI options hit a record ADV of 320,000 contracts in Q1 2026
- TCL futures will trade continuously on Globex, with a two-minute daily maintenance window and a two-hour Saturday window
CME Group has announced plans to introduce 24/7 trading for new, smaller-sized crude oil and gold futures contracts, expanding access for traders looking to manage risk outside standard market hours.
The new 10-Barrel WTI Crude Oil futures (TCL), set to launch on August 30 pending regulatory review, will be 1/100th the size of the benchmark WTI contract and 1/10th the size of existing Micro WTI futures. The cash-settled contract will be the first energy product available for continuous 24/7 trading, with only a two-minute daily maintenance window and a two-hour window on Saturdays.
Separately, CME’s existing 1-Ounce Gold futures (1OZ) will move to 24/7 trading from July 26, also pending regulatory review. The cash-settled contract is 1/10th the size of Micro Gold futures and 1/100th of a standard Gold contract, offering exposure tied closely to spot gold prices with capital efficiency of roughly 13 to 1 based on current margin levels.
CME executive Derek Sammann said traders are increasingly seeking to diversify across commodities amid geopolitical uncertainty, with right-sized, round-the-clock products designed to let participants react as news breaks.
The move comes against a backdrop of surging demand for smaller contracts. Micro WTI futures averaged 272,000 contracts daily in May, up 317% from a year earlier, while WTI options hit a record average daily volume of 320,000 contracts in the first quarter of 2026. Given the frequency of weekend geopolitical headlines this year, particularly around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, the timing may prove well suited to trader appetite.
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Y’all take care when trading thin liquidity hours, K?
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.
