CHICAGO, July 27, 2026 — CME Group has launched a new family of financially settled Single Stock futures, giving market participants access to futures contracts tied to 55 leading U.S. stocks. The rollout includes 55 standard-sized contracts and Micro versions on 22 selected companies.
The new contracts began trading for the Monday, July 27 trade date following their Sunday evening activation on CME Globex. They are also available through CME Direct, while eligible transactions can be submitted for clearing through CME ClearPort.
The launch brings futures-style trading, central clearing and extended market access to individual company shares. CME says the initial lineup includes major names such as Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nvidia and SpaceX, with contracts drawn from companies represented in the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100 and Russell 1000 universes.
What CME Has Launched
CME Single Stock futures are standardized contracts whose value tracks the price of one underlying company’s shares. Unlike stock ownership, the contracts do not deliver shares at expiration. They are financially settled, meaning gains and losses are settled in cash.
| Feature | Standard Single Stock Futures | Micro Single Stock Futures |
|---|---|---|
| Initial lineup | 55 contracts | 22 contracts |
| Contract size | 100 shares of the underlying stock | 10 shares of the underlying stock |
| Minimum price movement | $1.00 per contract for a $0.01 stock-price move | $0.10 per contract for a $0.01 stock-price move |
| Contract months | March, June, September and December; two consecutive quarterly expiries listed | March, June, September and December; two consecutive quarterly expiries listed |
| Settlement | Financial settlement | Financial settlement |
| Last trading time | 4:00 p.m. ET on the third Friday of the contract month | 4:00 p.m. ET on the third Friday of the contract month |
The standard contract represents 100 shares, closely matching the traditional stock-market round lot. The Micro contract represents 10 shares, reducing the notional exposure to one-tenth of the larger contract and allowing more precise position sizing.
Why the Launch Matters
CME is extending its established equity-index futures infrastructure into single-company exposure. Traders and portfolio managers can now move between broad index positions and individual stocks within the same futures-market framework.
The contracts may be used to isolate company-specific exposure, hedge a stock position, construct stock-versus-index spreads or express a directional market view. CME also supports Basis Trade at Index Close, or BTIC, on eligible Single Stock futures, providing an additional mechanism for institutional execution around the official index close.
For active traders, the most visible differences from ordinary shares are extended trading hours and symmetrical long or short execution. CME advertises access for 23 hours a day, allowing positions to respond to earnings, geopolitical developments and other market-moving news outside the regular U.S. cash-equity session. Short exposure does not require borrowing or locating shares, although futures margin, leverage and liquidity risks remain.
Capital Efficiency Comes With Leverage Risk
Single Stock futures require margin rather than payment of the full notional value of the underlying shares. This can make the contracts capital-efficient, but it also magnifies both favorable and adverse price movements relative to the capital deposited.
The practical risk will depend on each contract’s price, margin requirement, market depth and volatility. The Micro range may broaden accessibility, but a smaller contract is not automatically a low-risk contract. Market participants should confirm broker availability, real-time data support, commissions, exchange fees, margin treatment and order-book liquidity before using the new products.
What Traders Should Watch After Launch
The most important early test will be liquidity. Contract availability alone does not guarantee tight bid-ask spreads or deep order books. Volume and open interest will show whether activity concentrates in the largest technology and growth names or develops across the wider 55-stock lineup.
- Volume and open interest: Early participation will indicate which standard and Micro contracts gain meaningful adoption.
- Bid-ask spreads: Execution quality may vary substantially between the most popular names and less-active contracts.
- Broker and platform access: CME identifies Charles Schwab, NinjaTrader and Plus500 among featured brokers, while availability may differ by account type and jurisdiction.
- Earnings-session behavior: The 23-hour schedule could make the contracts particularly relevant when companies report outside regular stock-market hours.
- Basis and convergence: Traders will monitor pricing against the underlying shares as quarterly expiration approaches.
- Micro adoption: The 10-share format may prove important for smaller accounts and for institutions seeking finer hedge adjustments.
A New Link Between Stock and Futures Markets
The July 27 launch is a significant expansion of CME’s equity franchise. It does not replace ordinary shares, stock options or index futures; instead, it adds another instrument with a different combination of leverage, settlement, trading hours and execution mechanics.
If liquidity develops, Single Stock futures could become a useful bridge between CME’s heavily traded index products and the company-specific catalysts that drive equity dispersion. The immediate question is not whether the contracts are available, but where sustainable two-way markets emerge after the opening phase.