CME launches single-stock futures for over 50 top US stocks

CME Group is bringing single-stock futures back from the dead, and this time they’re doing it at scale. The world’s largest derivatives exchange announced plans to launch futures contracts tied to more than 50 individual US stocks, set to go live on July 27, 2026, pending regulatory approval. The lineup reads like a who’s who of the stock market: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla are all on the list. What’s actually launching CME is rolling out two flavors of contracts. There will be 55 standard-sized futures, each representing 100 shares of the underlying stock. For traders who want smaller exposure, 22 micro-sized contracts will represent just 10 shares each. The underlying stocks are drawn from the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, and Russell 1000. All contracts will trade on CME Globex for nearly 23 hours a day, giving traders the ability to react to overnight news without waiting for the opening bell. Tim McCourt, CME’s Global Head of Equities, FX, and Alternative Products, has framed these contracts as a streamlined approach for investors to engage with individual stocks more efficiently. Why this matters now Single-stock futures aren’t a new concept. They existed in t...