CME Group hits CFTC roadblock as 24/7 crude futures face delay

CME Group has faced a regulatory setback after the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission delayed the immediate launch of its planned 24/7 crude oil futures trading.

According to a press release issued by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the agency invoked its authority under existing regulations to temporarily halt the listing process for CME Group’s proposed around-the-clock crude oil futures contract.

The decision came after CME chose to self-certify the product while the regulator was still reviewing the implications of continuous futures trading across U.S. markets.

CFTC has paused CME’s crude futures rollout

Earlier this year, the CFTC opened a public comment period to examine whether 24/7 futures trading is compatible with current market rules and regulatory safeguards.

CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig said the agency is evaluating whether continuously operating futures markets satisfy core regulatory principles and added that different asset classes require separate regulatory consideration rather than a single approach.

The regulator also said exchanges planning significant structural changes should work with the CFTC before introducing new products. According to the agency, CME’s filing requires additional review because of potential legal and market-related concerns tied to uninterrupted crude oil futures trading.

The latest decision adds to a series of disagreements between CME Group and the regulator. Outgoing CME Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy previously confirmed that the exchange was considering legal action after the CFTC approved crypto perpetual futures products for prediction market operator Kalshi.

CME has argued that those perpetual contracts should have been regulated as swaps rather than futures under the framework established by the Dodd-Frank Act.

As crypto.news previously reported, Jake Chervinsky, chief executive of the Hyperliquid Policy Center, criticized CME’s lawsuit against the CFTC in a June 19 post on X.

Chervinsky described the legal action as “a shocking miscalculation” and “an unforced error,” arguing that the exchange had exposed resistance to increasing competition in derivatives markets. He also claimed CME controls roughly 92% of exchange-traded derivatives volume in the United States, according to his assessment.

Treasury Link remains on schedule pending approval

While the crude oil futures proposal has been delayed, CME continues preparing another major product launch. The exchange plans to introduce Treasury Link in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

According to CME, Treasury Link will connect U.S. Treasury futures with the cash Treasury market, allowing traders to execute Treasury futures and cash Treasury spreads through a single transaction. The company has positioned the platform as a tool designed to simplify execution across both markets.

Separately, Kalshi has expanded its own ambitions beyond crypto derivatives. The prediction market platform has announced plans to introduce additional derivatives products, although those offerings remain subject to regulatory approval.

For now, the CFTC’s decision leaves CME’s 24/7 crude oil futures proposal on hold while the agency continues reviewing the legal and operational implications of continuous derivatives trading. At the same time, Treasury Link remains on CME’s launch calendar, with its planned fourth-quarter rollout still dependent on receiving regulatory clearance.