CFTC Extends Comment Period for 24/7 Futures Trading Proposal Amid Industry Input

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has extended its public comment period for its proposed rule on 24/7 futures trading, including perpetual contracts tied to energy commodities. This decision comes after industry stakeholders requested more time to respond and the CFTC added new questions to the original request.

The proposal aims to address two issues in energy derivatives markets: moving standard futures contracts to round-the-clock trading with fixed expiration dates, but with changes to delivery and settlement terms; and perpetual contracts referencing physically delivered or storable energy commodities. Unlike standard futures, perpetuals carry no expiration date, which has sparked debate around the proposal.

CFTC Chair Mike Selig had previously addressed misconceptions about perpetual futures contracts in a June report from LiveBitcoinNews, disputing claims related to contract law, leverage limits, and funding rate costs. The April 2025 public request for comment forms the backbone of the current rule under review, and the extended deadline gives industry participants until August 26, 2026, to submit their input before the Commission moves toward a final rule.