Trading Bitcoin Futures on the Weekend in the US Explained

In the US, trading Bitcoin futures on the weekend is a bit more complicated than trading on weekdays. The CME Group, one of the largest exchanges for Bitcoin futures, has specific rules regarding weekend trading.

The CME Group's exchange hours are Monday through Friday, from 6:00 PM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time, and Saturday and Sunday hours are limited to Sunday evening from 5:00 PM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

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You can trade US futures on the weekend, but not throughout the entire weekend. Trading typically ends at 5 pm Eastern Time (EST) on Friday, and then starts again at 5 pm EST on Sunday.

There is usually less volume on Sunday evening compared to Monday afternoon when US banks and trading firms are open. However, some global banks and trading firms in Australia and Japan are open on Sunday evening, which can provide some liquidity for futures.

The European markets open next, followed by the US market, which is when you typically see the highest volume in futures contracts.

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The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is a hub for trading futures contracts, with many contracts opening at 6 pm EST on Sunday.

CME futures contracts trade on Sunday from 6 pm EST until Friday at 5 pm EST, with a 45- to 60-minute break each day between 5:00 pm and 5:45 or 6:00 pm EST.

The most heavily traded futures contracts, including the S&P 500 E-Minis, crude oil, t-note futures, eurodollar futures, and fed funds futures, follow this schedule.

Agricultural futures may have similar trading times, but they often have more breaks throughout the day.

You can find the specific trading hours for each contract on the CME Trading Hours page, which lists the trading hours of over 1,300 futures contracts.

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The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) offers futures contracts on various markets around the world, giving you a wide range of choices for trading futures.

All ICE futures trade 24 hours a day, Sunday through Friday, except for a maintenance window where trading is temporarily halted and then resumes at a set time each day.

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You can trade many US futures from 7:30 pm EST until 6 pm EST, with trading starting on Sunday at 7:30 pm EST and closing on Friday at 6 pm EST. During the week, trading stops at 6 pm until it reopens at 7:30 pm EST.

Some futures trade between 7:30 pm EST and 5 pm EST, with trading starting at 7:30 pm EST on Sunday and at 5 pm during the week, pausing until trading resumes at 7:30 pm EST.

Each agricultural commodity has its own unique trading hours, so be sure to check the ICE Product Guide to see the specific hours for the contract you're interested in.

To get the most accurate and up-to-date information, narrow down the list by selecting the products you want to view on the ICE Product Guide.

You can trade Bitcoin futures on some platforms over the weekend in America, but not on traditional exchanges like the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). These platforms, such as Binance, Bybit, or FTX, offer perpetual futures or other derivatives that can be traded 24/7, including weekends.

Trading on these platforms may involve additional risks, including less oversight and the potential for higher volatility. It's essential to choose a reputable platform and exercise caution, especially during weekends when lower liquidity may lead to more significant price swings.

In the US, traditional futures trading hours are from Sunday evening to Friday evening (U.S. Central Time), with breaks typically between trading days. However, some global markets, like Australia and Japan, are open for business on Sunday evening (EST), providing some trading opportunities.

Most CBOE futures begin trading at 5 pm or 6 pm EST on Sunday, and then close at 5 pm on Friday.

Depending on the specific contract being traded, these times can vary by up to an hour, and may differ on holidays.

You can find the current trading hours on the CBOE Futures Hours page.

The VIX (VX) and VIX Mini (VXM) futures trade from 5pm EST until 5 pm EST.

There is a break during the week until 5:45 pm.

Trading starts on Sunday at 5pm EST with a pre-open, and the regular open is at 6 pm.

Note that the chart below is in Central Time, which is one hour behind EST.

You can trade Bitcoin futures on weekends in America, but it depends on the platform or exchange you use. Traditional Bitcoin futures listed on regulated exchanges like the CME can't be traded on weekends, while some cryptocurrency-focused platforms like Binance, Bybit, or FTX provide perpetual futures or other derivatives that can be traded 24/7, including weekends.

These platforms operate outside traditional financial markets and cater to the round-the-clock nature of cryptocurrency trading, but they may involve additional risks, including less oversight and the potential for higher volatility. It's essential to ensure you understand the risks and platform requirements, including margin rules, fees, and the regulatory framework governing the exchange.

You can trade US futures until 5 pm Eastern Time (EST) on Friday, and then you start many futures contracts again at 5 pm EST on Sunday. This means you can technically start trading them on the weekend, but there's usually less volume on Sunday evening than on a Monday afternoon.

The European markets open next, providing more liquidity for futures in the early Monday morning hours, and then the US market opens, which is when you typically see the highest volume in futures contracts. Between 5 pm EST Sunday to 5 pm EST on Friday is a general guideline for when you can trade futures, but remember that each futures contract has its own hours.

Cryptocurrency is the main market to trade on weekends, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron, Tether, and all the others. Since crypto trades don't run through a centralized exchange, they can be traded through peer-to-peer networks anytime people want to trade, making it a popular choice for weekend traders.

IG.com, a large forex and CFD broker, also allows its users to trade select products during the weekend, including major stock indices, forex pairs, and crypto. However, not many financial markets are open on weekends, making these options limited for traders.

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Contract trading hours can be confusing, but it's essential to understand them, especially if you're interested in trading Bitcoin futures on the weekend in America. The two main futures exchanges in the US are the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).

Many CME futures contracts open at 6 pm EST on Sunday, and the markets close at 5 pm EST on Friday. This is a standard schedule for most futures contracts.

During the week, there is a 45- to 60-minute break each day between 5:00 pm and 5:45 or 6:00 pm EST. This break is a normal part of the trading day.

All futures trade 24 hours a day, Sunday through Friday, except for the maintenance window where trading is temporarily halted and then resumes at a set time each day. This is a common practice among futures exchanges.

Many US futures trade from 7:30 (or 7:40/45) pm EST until 6 pm EST. That means futures open on Sunday at 7:30/40/45 pm EST and close on Friday at 6 pm EST. This is the case for many futures contracts.

Each agricultural commodity tends to have different trading hours, so it's essential to check the specific contract you're interested in. For example, some agricultural futures may have more breaks throughout the day.

To see the trading hours for the specific contract you are interested in, see the ICE Product Guide. This guide provides detailed information on trading hours for various futures contracts.