The market is modernizing in almost every aspect except one. Trading infrastructure is digitized, executions are instantaneous, and information moves around the world in real time. However, most traditional markets remain closed at night, on weekends, and on public holidays.
This is where TradFi intersects with crypto-native infrastructure. Platforms like Phemex are trying to close that gap by listing TradFi futures (price-tracking contracts tied to assets like gold and silver) on infrastructure built for continuous markets.
spot trading and futures trading
Spot and futures markets work differently, and that difference explains why TradFi futures are important. Simply put, a spot trade means buying the asset itself at its current price, whereas a futures contract tracks the price based on the terms of the contract rather than giving you direct ownership.
In traditional spot trading, the purchase of stocks and commodities involves a complex chain of custody, transfer of legal title, and a T+2 settlement cycle. This infrastructure requires banks and clearinghouses to be open, so trading is suspended on weekends and holidays.
A futures contract is a derivative, a contract based on the price of an asset rather than an exchange of the asset itself. Therefore, there is no need for physical actions or transfers when the exchange market is closed.
When the market closes, the only thing that stops working is the traditional infrastructure. Assets retain their value. Phemex bridges this gap by providing a marketplace where price discovery and risk management continues uninterrupted.
Macro news doesn’t have to wait until Monday
Traditional finance (TradFi) and cryptocurrency markets are increasingly moving in the same direction. As cryptocurrency trading matures, the prices of digital assets have become more closely linked to the macroeconomic indicators that have long driven stocks and commodities.
Interest rate decisions by the US Federal Reserve, inflation data, labor market reports, and geopolitical trends are currently influencing both stock indexes and major cryptocurrencies. This increased correlation has changed the way traders think about risk, timing, and market access across asset classes.
The introduction of TradFi futures to a crypto-native trading platform will enable traders to react to macroeconomic trends in real time. Instead of waiting for traditional market time, traders can hedge positions and manage volatility as events unfold. This approach is increasingly central to modern risk management.
Whether you’re hedging a position or taking advantage of volatility, being able to execute trades based on real-time macro news is no longer a luxury. It’s what modern risk management requires.
Why TradFi Futures are important for 24/7 market access
The market’s 24/7 openness, which remains functional even on holidays and non-working days, is not just a new generation innovation. It represents a natural evolutionary progression of trading. In the traditional financial world, when markets are closed, uncertainty and anxiety tend to prevail.
If a major event occurs over the weekend, traditional investors face significant gap risk where prices can jump or fall significantly between Friday’s closing price and Monday’s opening price.
Through Phemex’s TradFi futures trading, traders can manage their positions at any time of the day or night. This eliminates the waiting game that often leaves investors vulnerable to a global news cycle that doesn’t stop even on bank holidays.
Integrated trading across Cryptocurrency futures and TradFi futures on a single platform
Phemex focuses on reducing the liquidity and access frictions that are common in traditional markets.
The platform offers crypto derivatives as well as USDT-settled derivatives linked to traditional assets such as gold, silver and selected stocks. This structure allows traders to access multiple asset classes from a single account without having to enter into separate intermediary relationships or go through lengthy funding and settlement processes.
(A USDT-settled derivative means that gains and losses are settled in USDT rather than on delivery of the underlying asset.)
Phemex operates a unified margin system, allowing you to use the same USDT balance for gold, silver, and crypto futures. These contracts track prices rather than involve physical settlement, reducing storage and operational complexity.
Similar to perpetual crypto contracts, TradFi futures can be traded with leverage, allowing traders to increase exposure and improve capital efficiency without committing the full notional amount typically required by traditional brokers. Historically, access to stocks and commodities, whether through direct ownership, ETFs, futures, etc., often required large amounts of up-front capital and fragmented infrastructure.
As demand for continued market access and more flexible risk management grows, crypto-native platforms are increasingly addressing these structural limitations. Phemex is positioning itself in this change by providing an infrastructure designed for continuous multi-asset trading.
Modern markets are open 24/7
Market evolution is no longer a question of “if,” but “how.” As crypto and traditional assets increasingly react to the same macro forces, the separation between them at the infrastructure level is beginning to break down.
The aim is not to recreate a stock exchange on a crypto platform. It’s about creating a faster, more flexible system that allows traders to access traditional asset exposures with the efficiency expected of modern markets.
Phemex approaches this by replacing ownership friction with futures-based access. By using price tracking contracts rather than physical payments, traditional assets can be traded alongside cryptocurrencies within the integrated USDT payment environment.
As we move into the second quarter of 2026, trading multiple asset classes in a single margin currency will no longer be a differentiator. It is becoming the baseline for how modern markets operate.
As part of the launch of the TradFi futures product, Phemex has introduced a limited-time campaign aimed at educating traders about the new product. This campaign includes a temporary zero-fee trading period, loss protection incentives on your first trade, trading leaderboards, and task-based rewards. This initiative aims to support early adoption and allow traders to explore TradFi futures within a managed, risk-aware framework.
