CME Group Inc is broadening its precious metals trading to a round-the-clock schedule. Following the strong launch of 1-ounce gold futures with 24/7 trading, the exchange announced it will extend trading hours for 100-ounce silver futures to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The plan is set to begin on September 11, 2026, pending regulatory approval.
According to a CME Group announcement on August 11, the introduction of round-the-clock silver trading is an extension of the weekend trading demand seen with gold futures. Since the launch of 1-ounce gold futures on July 24, over 53,000 contracts have been traded on weekends, with a notional value of approximately $219 million. This indicates strong retail investor demand for smaller-sized, readily tradable precious metals futures.
The decision to include silver is also linked to its rising trading activity. Since the 100-ounce silver futures contract launched in February, average daily volume reached 17,800 contracts in the first half of this year. Concurrently, the average daily notional turnover for CME silver futures hit a record $50 billion during the same period.
With the extended trading hours, investors can adjust their silver exposure in response to macroeconomic data, geopolitical events, and shifts in industrial demand without waiting for traditional market openings. This further expands the trading and risk management window for the precious metals market.
Gold validates retail demand, silver follows suit
Jin Hennig, Global Head of Metals at CME Group Inc, stated that silver possesses both precious and industrial metal characteristics. It is influenced by macroeconomic factors and closely tied to real economy demand, making it a diversification tool for investors.
She noted strong retail demand for "tradable, moderately sized gold futures available at any time," which prompted the exchange to extend the 24/7 trading mechanism to silver. This is intended to help market participants manage risk and seize trading opportunities.
Both the 1-ounce gold futures and the 100-ounce silver futures are designed for retail trading scenarios, featuring smaller contract sizes to lower the entry barrier. With weekend turnover for gold exceeding $200 million in less than three weeks of 24/7 trading, the success provides a direct validation of demand and supports the expansion to silver.
Silver futures trading activity continues to rise
CME Group Inc metals business reported an average daily volume of 1.3 million contracts in the first half of this year, a 55% year-over-year increase, largely driven by active precious metals trading. Silver's own rising trading activity has also become a key foundation for its inclusion in the 24/7 trading system.
The 100-ounce silver futures contract is cash-settled, with its settlement price linked to the daily settlement price of the global benchmark COMEX 5,000-ounce silver futures contract. It is listed and traded under the COMEX rules framework. This design preserves the authority of the benchmark price while offering retail investors a more flexible entry point into silver trading.
CME Group Inc stated that the 24/7 trading arrangements are still subject to regulatory review. The process is expected to be completed by the target launch date of September 11.
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