CME Group has announced plans to launch new, smaller-sized crude oil and gold futures contracts that will enable trading around the clock, pending regulatory approval. The new crude oil contract, which is one-tenth the size of the existing Micro WTI Crude Oil futures, is scheduled to begin trading on August 30. Concurrently, the company's existing 1-ounce gold futures contract will become available for continuous trading starting July 24.
The new 10-barrel WTI crude oil futures contract will be cash-settled, offering a more precise hedging tool and expanding market access. It will be listed on and subject to the rules of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). The 1-ounce gold futures contract will also be cash-settled, listed on and subject to the rules of the Commodity Exchange (COMEX). The 24/7 gold trading will provide the market with a continuous price discovery mechanism.
"Amid geopolitical uncertainty, traders are increasingly looking to diversify their portfolios across various commodity markets," said Derek Sammann, Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Commodities, Options, and International Markets at CME Group. "Our new WTI crude oil and gold futures contracts offer appropriately sized, regulated products available for trading around the clock, ensuring traders can manage their risk exposure whenever significant events occur."
WTI crude oil serves as a global benchmark for price discovery and risk management. In the first quarter of 2026, average daily volume for WTI crude oil options reached a record 320,000 contracts. Additionally, average daily volume for Micro WTI crude oil futures in May reached 272,000 contracts, a 317% increase compared to May 2025.
CME Group offers the world's leading gold benchmark futures contract, with an average daily notional value of $100 billion in 2025. The exchange launched a new cash-settled 1-ounce gold futures contract in January 2025, which achieved an average daily volume of 90,000 contracts in 2026.
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