CME Group will offer round-the-clock trading for WTI crude oil and gold futures, marking a significant shift toward continuous commodity markets. The exchange announced Thursday that it plans to introduce a smaller oil contract and extend 24/7 access to its existing gold futures, both pending regulatory approval.

The new crude oil contract launches August 30 at one-tenth the size of Micro WTI futures, while gold futures begin July 26 at 1-ounce denominations. Both products will be cash-settled through NYMEX and COMEX respectively, targeting retail and institutional demand for flexible trading hours.

This move responds to surging activity on offshore platforms like Hyperliquid, where oil-linked volumes have jumped amid Iran conflict volatility. CME Group joins Binance in expanding around-the-clock commodity trading as traditional exchanges face competition from unregulated venues.

Regulatory scrutiny intensifies as CME and Intercontinental Exchange push for oversight of offshore platforms. The shift toward 24/7 commodity trading reflects changing investor expectations and could reshape how energy and precious metals markets operate.