Pepperstone Bets On 24/7 Markets As Crypto's Perpetual Model Spreads To Traditional Finance

Pepperstone has moved to extend the perpetual contract model—a staple of cryptocurrency derivatives—into traditional asset classes, positioning itself among the first regulated CFD brokers to offer around-the-clock access to markets beyond digital assets.

The broker has launched SPCX.US-PERP, a synthetic perpetual CFD referencing SpaceX, and plans to introduce perpetual CFDs linked to gold, silver, the Nasdaq, the S&P 500, WTI crude oil and Brent crude. The products operate within Pepperstone’s existing CFD infrastructure, meaning clients trade through their usual accounts and platforms without needing crypto wallets or separate onboarding.

Group CEO Tamas Szabo said the expansion reflects a belief that fixed trading hours are becoming obsolete. “Capital, information and risk now move continuously, and we believe perpetual markets will become a standard feature of modern finance,” he said. Chris Weston, Head of Research, added that major market-moving events no longer wait for official opening bells, driving demand for continuous access.

Perpetual futures originated in crypto markets around 2016 and have since become the dominant digital-asset derivatives product, generating an estimated $90 trillion in trading volume in 2025. Tokenised assets, currently worth roughly $2 trillion, could grow to $16 trillion by 2030, according to industry forecasts. Pepperstone sees these trends pushing traditional markets toward always-on operation.

The move comes as regulators proceed cautiously. Last week, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission halted CME Group’s attempt to self-certify a 24/7 crude oil futures contract just one day before launch, citing concerns over market integrity, surveillance and operational resilience. The decision underscores the regulatory challenges facing the shift to continuous trading.

Pepperstone’s strategy reflects broader industry momentum. AI-generated trading signals, global retail participation and institutional cross-time-zone management all contribute to demand for 24/7 access. For CFD brokers, perpetual products eliminate the need for clients to roll expiring futures contracts or wait for market reopenings.

With over 400,000 clients across 160 countries, Pepperstone is betting that market access, not just low spreads, will define competitive advantage as finance moves toward a continuous, always-on future.