CME Group is withdrawing its filing to launch 24/7 crude oil futures, the 10-barrel WTI contract that would have traded around the clock. Chairman and Chief Executive Terry Duffy announced the decision on October 2, 2026. The standard CL contract and Micro WTI keep their Sunday-to-Friday hours, so there is still no weekend crude session on CME.
What changed
| Item | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| 10-barrel crude oil contract | Filed with the CFTC on July 8, 2026; approval pending | Filing withdrawn, announced October 2, 2026 |
| Weekend crude trading on CME | Planned for the 10-barrel contract only | No product planned |
| CL and MCL hours | Sunday 6:00 p.m. to Friday 5:00 p.m. ET | Unchanged |
What CME said
In its statement, CME says it built the contract as a regulated alternative to round-the-clock oil products offered on other venues, naming onshore prediction markets and offshore perpetuals. It says that, after talks with industry participants, “key constituents are concerned that introducing 24/7 trading in energy without further due diligence could create unintended consequences”. Duffy said CME is “withdrawing our filing to launch this product at this time” and asked the CFTC to address what he called an inequity with those venues.
CME gave no new date and did not say whether it would file again.
Where the filing stood
NYMEX, the CME exchange that lists crude oil, submitted the contract on July 8, 2026 for CFTC approval as Submission No. 26-339. When we checked on October 3, 2026, the CFTC product record still listed it as “Approval Pending”. Our August 24 report covers the postponed launch.
What it means for prop firm traders
Nothing changes in the contracts firms offer. CL and MCL trade the same Globex hours, and a position still cannot be traded on CME between the Friday close and the Sunday open. Prop firm flat-by times and weekend rules apply as before. A futures prop firm evaluation is a paid service with simulated trading of listed contracts.
