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
