CME Group Expands Digital Asset Derivatives Trading to Weekends
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 19 2026
0mins
The digital asset landscape is witnessing a paradox today as traditional financial heavyweights and dedicated infrastructure companies double down on their operations, even as broader market sentiment remains pressured. From expanding derivatives access and massive treasury accumulations to strategic mining pivots, institutional players are building for the future regardless of current price action. Stay up on the crypto news that matters with "Crypto Currents," daily from The Fly. Join us at 2 PM ET for your essential briefing on the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency on FlyCast radio.CME GROUP EXPANDS REGULATED DERIVATIVES ACCESS TO WEEKENDS:, CME Groupannounced that its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options will be available for trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week beginning late May, pending regulatory review. The exchange noted that client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high, driving a record $3T in notional volume across its cryptocurrency futures and options in 2025.BANKING GIANTS AND EXECUTIVES DISCLOSE DIGITAL ASSET POSITIONS:According to, Goldman SachsCEO David Solomon disclosed that he personally owns a limited amount of bitcoin, a notable shift from his previous skepticism. Simultaneously, Bank of Americareported in a 13F filing that it increased its stake in Bitmine Immersion Technologiesby over 1,600%, now holding $85.8M worth of the ethertreasury company's shares. The Royal Bank of Canadaalso increased its stake in the firm by 121%.INFRASTRUCTURE FIRMS PIVOT STRATEGIES AND EXECUTE STOCK SPLITS:, Bitcoin Depotannounced a 1-for-7 reverse stock split of its common stock to maintain its listing requirements. Meanwhile, according to, Coinbaseis transitioning its Layer-2 network away from external reliance to a self-operated technology stack. On the mining front, JPMorgan analysts note that Bitdeer Technologies Grouphas overtaken MARA Holdingsin self-mining hash rate.PRICE ACTION:As of time of writing, bitcoin was trading at $66,243.54, while ether was trading at $1,921.78,.
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Analyst Views on CME
Wall Street analysts forecast CME stock price to fall
10 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
4 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 296.940
Low
209.00
Averages
285.90
High
320.00
Current: 296.940
Low
209.00
Averages
285.90
High
320.00
About CME
CME Group Inc. provides a derivatives marketplace. The Company enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and over the counter (OTC) markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data. It exchanges offer a range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange (FX), energy, agricultural products and metals. It offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and FX trading on the EBS platform. In addition, it operates central counterparty clearing provider, CME Clearing. Its products provide a means for hedging, speculation and asset allocation related to the risks associated with, among other things, interest rate sensitive instruments, and changes in the prices of agricultural, energy and metal commodities. It provides clearing and settlement services for a range of exchange-traded futures and options on futures contracts and OTC derivatives.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Senators Demand Investigation into Insider Trading
- Insider Trading Inquiry: Senators Mark Warner and Adam Schiff sent a letter to the SEC and the Department of Defense IG demanding an investigation into insider trading ahead of major policy announcements, indicating potential misuse of nonpublic information by government officials, which undermines market integrity.
- Policy Impact Warning: The letter highlights instances of building large positions in equities and equity-linked derivatives before significant announcements, such as those related to the Iran war and Trump's tariffs, suggesting that this could create unfair market advantages and erode investor confidence.
- National Security Concerns: Warner and Schiff expressed serious concerns that the possibility of individuals connected to the Secretary of Defense trading on material nonpublic information poses significant risks not only to market integrity but also to U.S. national security.
- Call for Regulatory Measures: The senators urged the SEC and the Defense IG to respond to a series of questions regarding their review of trading activities, the tools used to detect suspicious trading, and the safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized dissemination of nonpublic information.
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CFTC Sues Three States Over Prediction Market Regulation
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- Legal Basis: The CFTC asserts that it has exclusive authority to oversee event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, and the actions of these states are seen as interference with legally operating contract markets, which could lead to inadequate consumer protection and increased fraud risk.
- Political Context: This lawsuit comes amid heightened scrutiny of prediction markets in Congress, where some Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban betting on topics such as elections, war, and sports, indicating rising regulatory pressure on the industry.
- Industry Response: The NFL's chief compliance officer has requested prediction market operators to block event contracts deemed
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- Market Surge Analysis: The S&P 500 surged 2.9% on Tuesday, marking its best performance since May 12, yet investors may be overestimating the inflationary pressures from rising oil prices, indicating a complex market sentiment.
- Rising Inflation Expectations: Bank of America economist Stephen Juneau forecasts that headline inflation will approach 4% in the coming months due to soaring energy prices, with food inflation in 2027 expected to push price levels higher due to ongoing fertilizer supply disruptions.
- Federal Reserve Policy Outlook: Hopes for an end to the war have tempered expectations for Federal Reserve rate hikes, with the CME Group's FedWatch tool indicating that the central bank is likely to keep rates steady through year-end, reflecting cautious market sentiment regarding future policy.
- Persistent Market Volatility: Despite the significant rally on Tuesday, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) remains around 25, suggesting ongoing uncertainty in the market, with technical strategists predicting that the S&P 500 may decline before establishing a sustained upward trend.
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- Fed Chair's Remarks: Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated that inflation expectations appear well anchored in the short term, although future policy adjustments may be necessary, which has lowered rate hike expectations for this year in the market.
- Geopolitical Impact: The surge in oil prices due to the U.S.-Iran conflict has raised concerns that the Fed might need to increase rates to combat inflation; however, Powell's comments have temporarily eased these tensions in the market.
- Focus on Employment Data: Investors are awaiting upcoming employment reports, including the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) on Tuesday and the nonfarm payrolls report on Friday, which will provide insights into the economic impact of the ongoing conflict.
See More
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- Impact of Surging Oil Prices: Global Brent crude prices have surged above $115 per barrel due to the ongoing Iran war, exacerbating inflation concerns and prompting investors to question whether the Fed might tighten monetary policy again despite signs of slowing growth.
- Historical Lessons: Goldman Sachs highlights the cautionary tale of the 1990 oil shock, where markets initially anticipated a hawkish Fed response but ultimately saw rate cuts as economic conditions worsened, suggesting that current market pricing may be misaligned with historical precedents.
- Political Factors at Play: President Trump indicated that an end to the conflict with Iran may be near, although he warned that if a peace deal is not reached soon, the U.S. would attack key Iranian energy infrastructure, which could further influence oil price movements.
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- Linde's Consistent Growth: Linde's shares increased by 4.0% over the past year, outperforming the Chemical Specialty industry at 0.8%, supported by a stable project pipeline and strong capital discipline, yet a weak outlook for Europe and falling helium prices could pressure future growth.
- Arista's Resilient Performance: Arista's shares have outperformed the Internet Software industry over the past six months, despite intense competition in cloud networking, with innovative products and steady customer additions driving revenue growth, though rising costs and supply chain constraints pose risks.
- Comstock's Strong Execution: Comstock's shares have soared 225.7% over the past two years, far exceeding the Building Products industry at -29.3%, benefiting from strong execution in transit-oriented projects and strategic acquisitions that enhance brand value and income, although rising labor costs and weak cash flow may pressure margins.
See More
Senators Demand Investigation into Insider Trading
- Insider Trading Inquiry: Senators Mark Warner and Adam Schiff sent a letter to the SEC and the Department of Defense IG demanding an investigation into insider trading ahead of major policy announcements, indicating potential misuse of nonpublic information by government officials, which undermines market integrity.
- Policy Impact Warning: The letter highlights instances of building large positions in equities and equity-linked derivatives before significant announcements, such as those related to the Iran war and Trump's tariffs, suggesting that this could create unfair market advantages and erode investor confidence.
- National Security Concerns: Warner and Schiff expressed serious concerns that the possibility of individuals connected to the Secretary of Defense trading on material nonpublic information poses significant risks not only to market integrity but also to U.S. national security.
- Call for Regulatory Measures: The senators urged the SEC and the Defense IG to respond to a series of questions regarding their review of trading activities, the tools used to detect suspicious trading, and the safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized dissemination of nonpublic information.
See More
CFTC Sues Three States Over Prediction Market Regulation
- Regulatory Authority Dispute: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois, accusing these states of attempting to restrict activities of contract markets registered with the CFTC, indicating a challenge to the CFTC's exclusive regulatory authority over prediction markets.
- Legal Basis: The CFTC asserts that it has exclusive authority to oversee event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, and the actions of these states are seen as interference with legally operating contract markets, which could lead to inadequate consumer protection and increased fraud risk.
- Political Context: This lawsuit comes amid heightened scrutiny of prediction markets in Congress, where some Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban betting on topics such as elections, war, and sports, indicating rising regulatory pressure on the industry.
- Industry Response: The NFL's chief compliance officer has requested prediction market operators to block event contracts deemed
See More
Market Surge May Not Signal All-Clear for Investors
- Market Surge Analysis: The S&P 500 surged 2.9% on Tuesday, marking its best performance since May 12, yet investors may be overestimating the inflationary pressures from rising oil prices, indicating a complex market sentiment.
- Rising Inflation Expectations: Bank of America economist Stephen Juneau forecasts that headline inflation will approach 4% in the coming months due to soaring energy prices, with food inflation in 2027 expected to push price levels higher due to ongoing fertilizer supply disruptions.
- Federal Reserve Policy Outlook: Hopes for an end to the war have tempered expectations for Federal Reserve rate hikes, with the CME Group's FedWatch tool indicating that the central bank is likely to keep rates steady through year-end, reflecting cautious market sentiment regarding future policy.
- Persistent Market Volatility: Despite the significant rally on Tuesday, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) remains around 25, suggesting ongoing uncertainty in the market, with technical strategists predicting that the S&P 500 may decline before establishing a sustained upward trend.
See More
Treasury Yields Decline Broadly as Fed Comments Ease Rate Hike Fears
- Treasury Yield Decline: The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield fell by 10 basis points to 4.334%, while the 30-year yield dropped over 8 basis points to 4.899%, and the 2-year yield decreased by more than 9 basis points to 3.822%, indicating a reduction in market concerns over rate hikes.
- Fed Chair's Remarks: Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated that inflation expectations appear well anchored in the short term, although future policy adjustments may be necessary, which has lowered rate hike expectations for this year in the market.
- Geopolitical Impact: The surge in oil prices due to the U.S.-Iran conflict has raised concerns that the Fed might need to increase rates to combat inflation; however, Powell's comments have temporarily eased these tensions in the market.
- Focus on Employment Data: Investors are awaiting upcoming employment reports, including the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) on Tuesday and the nonfarm payrolls report on Friday, which will provide insights into the economic impact of the ongoing conflict.
See More
Markets Misinterpret Fed's Rate Hike Signals Amid Oil Price Surge
- Market Expectation Volatility: Investors have rapidly shifted their expectations regarding U.S. interest rates, with the CME Group's FedWatch tool indicating that futures markets implied over a 50% chance of a rate hike by the end of 2026 on Friday, which fell to about 14% by Monday morning, reflecting an overreaction to rate hike signals.
- Impact of Surging Oil Prices: Global Brent crude prices have surged above $115 per barrel due to the ongoing Iran war, exacerbating inflation concerns and prompting investors to question whether the Fed might tighten monetary policy again despite signs of slowing growth.
- Historical Lessons: Goldman Sachs highlights the cautionary tale of the 1990 oil shock, where markets initially anticipated a hawkish Fed response but ultimately saw rate cuts as economic conditions worsened, suggesting that current market pricing may be misaligned with historical precedents.
- Political Factors at Play: President Trump indicated that an end to the conflict with Iran may be near, although he warned that if a peace deal is not reached soon, the U.S. would attack key Iranian energy infrastructure, which could further influence oil price movements.
See More
Zacks Research Daily: Major Stock Analyses
- Palantir's Strong Performance: Palantir's shares have surged 71.9% over the past year, significantly outperforming the Internet Software industry at -6.8%, driven by a robust AI strategy that enhances service capabilities for government and commercial clients, although the lack of dividends may deter income-focused investors.
- Linde's Consistent Growth: Linde's shares increased by 4.0% over the past year, outperforming the Chemical Specialty industry at 0.8%, supported by a stable project pipeline and strong capital discipline, yet a weak outlook for Europe and falling helium prices could pressure future growth.
- Arista's Resilient Performance: Arista's shares have outperformed the Internet Software industry over the past six months, despite intense competition in cloud networking, with innovative products and steady customer additions driving revenue growth, though rising costs and supply chain constraints pose risks.
- Comstock's Strong Execution: Comstock's shares have soared 225.7% over the past two years, far exceeding the Building Products industry at -29.3%, benefiting from strong execution in transit-oriented projects and strategic acquisitions that enhance brand value and income, although rising labor costs and weak cash flow may pressure margins.
See More
