CME Group Expands 24/7 Trading to 100-Ounce Silver Futures Amid Retail Surge
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
CME Group is set to expand its 24/7 trading capabilities to include 100-ounce silver futures contracts, with the new trading hours becoming effective September 11. The Chicago-based derivatives exchange is responding to a significant shift in the metals market landscape, as retail investors increasingly participate in commodities trading following the COVID-19 pandemic. Jin Hennig, Managing Director and Global Head of Metals Products at CME Group, emphasized that the retail segment has become the fastest-growing client category over the past decade.
Key Points
- CME Group will launch 24/7 trading for 100-ounce silver futures on September 11, building on the success of one-ounce gold futures which began weekend trading on July 24
- Micro Silver Futures (equivalent to 1,000 ounces) saw trading volume surge 756 percent year-over-year in the first half of 2026, with 100-ounce silver futures averaging 17,800 contracts daily during the same period
- Micro contracts now represent over 50 percent of CME's total metals volume, while institutional clients still account for 94 percent of overall business
- The Asia-Pacific region contributed approximately 20 percent of CME metals trading volume in the first half of 2026, with about half of total metals volume coming from outside the United States
- CME's overall metals average daily volume reached 1.3 million contracts in the first half of 2026, representing a 55 percent year-over-year increase driven primarily by precious metals activity
Why It Matters
The expansion of 24/7 trading to silver futures reflects how retail participation is reshaping the structure of commodities markets, with Hong Kong and Asian investors now able to respond immediately to weekend geopolitical developments rather than facing the volatility traditionally associated with Monday morning market reopenings .
The expansion of 24/7 trading to silver futures reflects how retail participation is reshaping the structure of commodities markets, with Hong Kong and Asian investors now able to respond immediately to weekend geopolitical developments rather than facing the volatility traditionally associated with Monday morning market reopenings .