CFTC Extends Comment Period on 24/7 Energy Futures and Perpetual Contracts

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has extended the public comment deadline on its request for input about two energy derivatives market topics: moving standard futures contracts to 24/7 trading and allowing perpetual contracts tied to physically delivered or storable energy commodities.

The new deadline is August 26, 2026. The CFTC said the extension gives commenters 30 additional days after requests from market participants and after the agency added more questions to the request.

The first part of the request focuses on standard futures contracts, including energy futures, trading around the clock while keeping fixed expiration dates. The CFTC is also asking about material economic changes to delivery or settlement terms. The second part focuses on perpetual contracts that reference physical or storable energy commodities.

Why it matters

For traders, the issue is not just longer screen time. Around-the-clock futures trading could change liquidity patterns, margin management, operational staffing, and how brokers handle risk when traditional settlement and support windows are closed.

Perpetual contracts in physical energy markets also raise questions that differ from cash-settled crypto-style products. Delivery mechanics, storage constraints, benchmark quality, and funding-style adjustments may all affect whether a product is usable for hedging or speculative trading.

What to watch next

Market participants have until August 26, 2026, to submit comments through the channels listed by the CFTC. Traders should watch whether exchanges, futures commission merchants, clearing firms, and energy-market users support a broader trading week or argue for tighter guardrails before any product changes move forward.