Trading hours
Open 24/7 on crypto exchanges. CFD brokers set their own hours: many offer weekend trading with a short pause, others close crypto at the weekend. CME crypto futures and options have traded 24/7 since 29 May 2026.
| When | UK time | New York time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly open | Never closes on exchanges | Never closes on exchanges | Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on crypto exchanges. CFD brokers that offer weekend crypto may take a short weekly pause; one large broker, for example, pauses for two hours on Sunday morning server time. |
| Daily break | None on exchanges | None on exchanges | Many charts start the daily candle at 00:00 UTC (00:00 UK in winter, 01:00 UK in summer). Broker CFD charts start the day on the broker's server clock instead. |
| Friday close | No close on exchanges | No close on exchanges | Some CFD brokers stop crypto with their other markets on Friday at about 22:00 UK and reopen on Sunday night or Monday. Check your broker. |
| Busiest hours | about 13:00 to 17:00 on weekdays | about 08:00 to 12:00 | When US stock and futures traders are active and US data is released. Weekends are usually thinner, with fewer traders. |
Crypto exchanges run around the clock, so clock changes do not open or close anything. What moves is the timing of US events in UK time: US data at 8:30am New York lands at 13:30 UK for most of the year and 12:30 UK in the gap weeks, when the US has changed its clocks and the UK has not (two weeks in March, one week around late October or early November). Daily candles on many crypto charts start at 00:00 UTC, which is 00:00 UK in winter and 01:00 UK in summer. Broker CFD charts follow the broker's server clock.
What is Bitcoin (BTC/USD)?
BTC/USD is the price of one bitcoin in US dollars. Bitcoin is a digital currency that runs on its own network rather than through a bank, and it trades on many crypto exchanges around the world at the same time. Many exchanges price it against USDT, a dollar linked token, which is why you also see BTCUSDT.
You can trade it on an exchange, as a CFD through a broker, or as futures on CME Group. Bitcoin is known for large moves: a few percent in a day is common, and much more is possible around big news.
The trading sessions
Steady trading on Asian exchanges. Bitcoin can still make big moves here, often on news or forced selling of borrowed positions (liquidations).
Activity builds through the morning as European traders join.
Usually the busiest stretch, especially 13:30 to 17:00 UK when US data, US stocks and US exchange traded funds (ETFs) are all active.
Fewer traders and thinner order books. Moves can be sharp, and some CFD brokers price crypto with wider spreads or pause it.
Contract facts
Prices are in US dollars per bitcoin. A point is a 1.00 move in price, for example from 90,000 to 90,001. Brokers may quote two decimals.
Varies by broker. 1 lot is commonly 1 bitcoin, and many brokers allow 0.01 lots. Check your broker's symbol specification.
If 1 lot is 1 bitcoin, each 1 point move is worth 1 US dollar per lot, and a 1,000 point move is worth 1,000 dollars.
CME Bitcoin futures: 5 bitcoin per contract. CME Micro Bitcoin futures: 0.1 bitcoin per contract. CME crypto futures and options have traded 24/7 since 29 May 2026.
How far it usually moves
Varies; check the Average daily range indicator. It averages the distance from each day's high to its low (by default over the last 14 days) and draws the expected high and low for today. We do not quote a fixed number because the range changes with news and volatility.
What moves Bitcoin (BTC/USD)
US interest rate expectations and Federal Reserve decisions.
Money going into or out of US spot bitcoin exchange traded funds (ETFs).
Overall risk mood, often seen in US technology shares such as the Nasdaq.
Rules and regulation news from the US and other large economies.
Forced selling or buying of borrowed positions (liquidations) on crypto exchanges.
Large holders moving coins, and exchange hacks or failures.
The US dollar. A weaker dollar has often coincided with stronger bitcoin.
Scheduled events to watch
Eight meetings a year. Press conference 30 minutes later. Remaining dates: 8 to 9 December 2026 (decision on the 9th). 2027: 26 to 27 January, 16 to 17 March, 27 to 28 April, 8 to 9 June, 27 to 28 July, 14 to 15 September, 26 to 27 October, 7 to 8 December (2027 dates are tentative until confirmed).
Monthly, usually in the middle of the month.
Usually the first Friday of the month. Next: 6 November and 4 December 2026.
Last Friday of the month. The settlement is based on the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate at 4pm London time.
If your broker pauses crypto, price can reopen at a different level from where it stopped.
What it tends to move with
Ethereum and most other large coins tend to move in the same direction as bitcoin.
At times bitcoin has moved with US technology shares (Nasdaq), especially in sell offs. This link comes and goes.
A weaker US dollar has often gone with a stronger bitcoin.
These are tendencies, not rules.
Tips for trading Bitcoin (BTC/USD)
Mark the 00:00 UTC daily open and the previous day high and low. A long above yesterday's high is wrong if price closes back below it on the 4 hour chart.
Size stops in points from a real level, and size the lot down. A 1,500 point stop on bitcoin is ordinary; tightening it to fit a lot size usually means getting stopped out by noise.
Be careful with weekend breakouts. With fewer traders, a weekend move can reverse on Monday. A breakout is wrong if price closes back inside the Friday range during the Monday US session.
Round numbers such as 90,000 and 100,000 attract orders. A bounce idea from one is wrong if price closes 500 points or more through it on the hourly chart.
Avoid fresh trades in the minutes around 13:30 UK on US data days and 19:00 UK on Federal Reserve days. Wait for the first 5 minute candle after the news to close; a close back through that candle's start proves the move wrong.
Bitcoin charts work on WickSpeak with no broker account connected. Key levels (pivots, previous day, week and month high and low, the open, average daily range levels, round numbers) are drawn with how many points away each one is, and every indicator writes a plain-English reading on the live candle.
Related markets
Sources: mondovisione.com, theblock.co, cmegroup.com, international.schwab.com, pepperstone.com, federalreserve.gov. Checked 2026-11-05. Broker hours follow your broker's server clock and can differ.
Questions traders ask
Does bitcoin trade at weekends?
Yes. Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on crypto exchanges. Some CFD brokers pause it for part of the weekend or close it until Monday, so check your broker's trading hours.
What is the best time to trade bitcoin in the UK?
Weekdays from about 13:00 to 17:00 UK time are usually the busiest, when US markets are open and US data comes out. Weekends and the early Asian hours are often thinner.
When does the bitcoin daily candle close?
Most crypto exchanges start a new daily candle at 00:00 UTC, which is midnight UK time in winter and 01:00 in summer. Broker CFD charts use the broker's server clock instead.
Do CME bitcoin futures trade on weekends now?
Yes. CME Group moved its crypto futures and options to 24/7 trading on 29 May 2026. Before that, the futures closed at the weekend and often opened on Sunday with a gap.
How big is one lot of bitcoin?
At most CFD brokers 1 lot is 1 bitcoin, but it varies, so check your broker. On CME, a full bitcoin futures contract is 5 bitcoin and a Micro contract is 0.1 bitcoin.