CFTC greenlights 24/7 crypto perps — but warns traditional…

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued a landmark dual move on Friday: it approved native crypto platforms to offer 24/7 perpetual futures contracts while simultaneously releasing an advisory warning that round-the-clock trading isn't appropriate for all asset classes. The agency singled out agricultural derivatives as an example of markets ill-suited to the format, citing specialized hedging practices and regional customer bases.

The CFTC's advisory frames blockchain infrastructure, stablecoins, and smartphone-accessible platforms as the structural enablers that make 24/7 crypto trading viable — a legitimacy argument the agency is now putting in writing. The watchdog's core concern for traditional markets is off-peak manipulation risk: thinner liquidity, wider spreads, and reduced surveillance coverage during overnight hours.