TLDR
CMEs crypto futures resumed trading at 1:30 pm (UTC) on 28 Nov 2025 after an outage, per a report.
- The restart corresponded to 7:30 am Central Time, confirmed in an exchange market update.
- The halt lasted about 1011 hours due to a data center cooling failure, per a news report.
- Futures across asset classes reopened around that time, with prices visible by roughly 13:35 GMT, per the same report.
Deep Dive
1. Exact Restart Time
CME said all markets (including crypto) were open and trading at 1:30 pm (UTC) on 28 Nov 2025, aligning with 7:30 am CT for Globex reopening, per an article and a market update.
If you were holding CME Bitcoin or Ether futures, hedging and position adjustments became possible from 1:30 pm (UTC).
2. Outage Cause and Duration
The halt stemmed from a cooling failure at a CyrusOne data center supporting CME systems, with trading down roughly 1011 hours, per a news report.
- CME indicated all markets were open after resolution, including crypto products, per a crypto news report.
- The recovery time was corroborated by price feeds resuming around 13:35 GMT in multiple futures, per the report above.
Operational resilience matters. A single infrastructure issue can pause price discovery and risk management for regulated crypto derivatives.
3. Market Impact and Context
Crypto futures were part of a broader multi-asset halt and restart; trading resumed broadly around the same window, per the report above.
- Some coverage noted the outage happened during thin post-holiday liquidity, increasing perceived risk, per an article.
- CME had previously outlined plans to expand crypto trading access (including aiming for 24/7 cycles in 2026, subject to approvals), highlighting demand for continuous risk management, per the same article.
Liquidity and continuity are central for derivatives users; planned 24/7 coverage seeks to bridge gaps between always-on crypto spot markets and regulated futures access.
Conclusion
CMEs crypto futures restarted at 1:30 pm (UTC) on 28 Nov 2025 after a data center cooling issue, restoring price discovery and hedging capacity across assets. The episode underscores how centralized infrastructure can affect regulated crypto access and why resilience and near-continuous trading windows matter.
