The successful debut of the 100-ounce silver contract follows the July 2024 launch of CME’s 24/7 one-ounce gold futures. That product has already established a significant footprint, recording 140,000 trades representing more than $600 million in notional value over the last six weeks. Jin Hennig, global head of metals at CME Group, noted that the silver contract’s performance validates the demand for tools that manage both investment exposure and real-world supply risks.

These smaller, retail-focused contracts are part of a broader strategy to capture market share from digital platforms offering fractionalized ownership. The exchange’s push into 24/7 trading appears to be paying off, as the first half of 2026 saw daily trading volumes for the metals business hit 1.3 million contracts—a 55% increase year-on-year. During that same period, silver futures reached a record average of $50 billion in daily notional value, highlighting the intense activity within the sector.