CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, today announced that its regulated Cryptocurrency futures and options will be available for trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week beginning on May 29, pending regulatory review.

“Client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high, driving a record $3 trillion in notional volume across our Cryptocurrency futures and options in 2025,” said Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group. “While not all markets lend themselves to operating 24/7, providing always-on access to our regulated, transparent Cryptocurrency products ensures clients can manage their exposure and trade with confidence at any time.”

Beginning Friday, May 29 at 4:00 p.m. CT, CME Group Cryptocurrency futures and options will trade continuously on CME Globex with at least a two-hour weekly maintenance period over the weekend. All holiday or weekend trading from Friday evening through Sunday evening will have a trade date of the following business day, with clearing, settlement and regulatory reporting processed the following business day as well.

Cryptocurrency futures and options continue to reach record volumes at CME Group in 2026. Year-to-date highlights include:

• Average daily volume (ADV) of 407,200 contracts, up 46% year-over-year, and average daily open interest of 335,400 contracts, up 7% year-over-year
• Futures ADV of 403,900 contracts, up 47% year-over-year

As the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products and metals.  The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform.  In addition, it operates one of the world’s leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing. 

CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (“S&P DJI”). “S&P®”, “S&P 500®”, “SPY®”, “SPX®”, US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

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SOURCE CME Group

A growing share of young, affluent investors now hold part of their net worth in cryptocurrency — and many are reluctant to liquidate those positions to buy a home. Non-QM lenders are beginning to adjust.

Newrez has formally integrated eligible cryptocurrency holdings into its non-agency underwriting framework, allowing borrowers to use digital assets for qualification without selling them. The move places crypto alongside traditional securities accounts within the company’s Smart Series product suite, reflecting a shift in how borrowers structure their wealth.

Other non-QM lenders are moving in the same direction. Newfi Lending recently expanded its Sequoia DSCR program to allow borrowers to count a portion of Bitcoin and Ethereum toward reserve requirements without liquidation. Under Newfi’s guidelines, up to 25% of Bitcoin and Ethereum held in a Coinbase account and up to 50% of crypto ETFs or mutual funds held at institutions such as Fidelity or Schwab may be applied toward reserves, with total crypto capped at 50% of required reserves.

How It Works

Under the updated framework, eligible cryptocurrency holdings may be considered as part of the asset analysis when qualifying a borrower. Crypto is not accepted as currency for down payments, and borrowers must still close in U.S. dollars.

“The suitability is the same,” said Baron Silverstein, president of Newrez. “All we’re doing is accepting crypto assets to qualify, so it would be no different from looking at somebody’s securities account.”

Silverstein described the rollout as a measured first step within the non-agency channel, structured around established underwriting discipline rather than a new risk model. “We felt that, at least in the non-agency space, that this was an appropriate first move for us,” he said.

He noted that the approach mirrors how the GSEs treat other volatile assets held in securities accounts. “The GSEs are very prescriptive about the haircuts that they allow or require for assets in an individual’s securities portfolio account,” Silverstein said, pointing to holdings such as gold futures that also fluctuate in value.

Newrez evaluated crypto using a similar framework. Silverstein emphasized that the program does not alter core underwriting standards. “When you benchmark it in that manner, it really just becomes evaluating a price regression analysis and then what haircuts you feel are appropriate from a risk perspective on consumer-owned crypto,” he said.

Why Now?

Silverstein said demand among younger investors, ages 18 to 40, helped drive the decision, noting that borrower balance sheets increasingly include digital assets. “When we have conversations with clients — you hear it more and more — customers say they have crypto as part of their investment strategy,” he said.

The company’s press release cited the expanding global cryptocurrency market and noted that an estimated 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors (also considered future homebuyers) own crypto.

Survey data from Coinbase shows nearly half of young investors own cryptocurrencies and rank crypto second only to real estate as a top growth opportunity. A YouGov investment trends report found Millennial and Gen Z investors are more likely to own crypto than a retirement account and are as likely to own cryptocurrency as they are to own real estate.

“My kids own crypto; I don’t,” Silverstein said. “I’m an old dog, and they have grown up in the digital age. They’re a lot more comfortable with the digital experience and using digital tools with what they do every single day.”

At the same time, Silverstein acknowledged that traditional agency programs have not yet adapted to recognize crypto assets for mortgage qualification. He framed Newrez’s move as a response to generational change.

“I think that the new customer is likely going to have crypto as part of their investment,” he continued. “That’s why I felt like this was a really good first step into the approval process for when they decide to buy a home.”

What It Means for Loan Officers

For loan officers, the update expands the range of borrowers who may qualify without restructuring their balance sheets.

“I think this will be a really big benefit for loan officers to support their customers,” Silverstein said. “If a customer comes to them and says, ‘look, 50% of my assets are in crypto,’ then they absolutely will have an option to say, ‘yeah, that can work for this type of mortgage.’”

Reaching those borrowers may require different referral strategies. A November survey from crypto infrastructure company Zerohash found that 35% of wealthy young Americans earning between $100,000 and $1 million annually had moved money away from advisors who do not offer crypto exposure. More than half of those reallocations involved between $250,000 and $1 million. The study found many younger investors rely on friends, family and online platforms such as YouTube for financial information.

Silverstein said he expects both advisors and competing lenders to adapt. “I would be surprised if you don’t see others follow suit,” he said. “That’s just my guidance and gauge on how competitive our industry is.”

The Bottom Line 

Crypto is no longer a fringe conversation. For a growing segment of borrowers, it’s a meaningful line item on the balance sheet.

For loan officers, that shifts the initial discovery conversation. Instead of asking whether assets exist, the better question may be where they are held — brokerage account, retirement fund, or digital wallet. Borrowers who appear liquidity-constrained on paper may be asset-strong, but unwilling to trigger a taxable event or exit a volatile position to qualify.

Non-QM lenders are beginning to structure policy around that reality. Originators who understand which investors will recognize crypto, how haircuts are applied, and where caps apply can turn what looks like a declined file into a viable approval.

The opportunity remains limited by volatility and investor overlays. But as more wealth migrates into digital assets, the ability to navigate crypto within underwriting guidelines may become a competitive advantage rather than a niche skill.