The always-on nature of the crypto market is reshaping global finance, prompting hedge funds and trading firms to extend operations beyond traditional market hours and maintain active trading desks through the weekend.
Qube Research & Technologies, a global quantitative investment firm based in London, is now hiring for a “Crypto | Quant Trader (Weekend Shift)” position. The role demands weekend availability alongside a standard four-day workweek.
Responsibilities include overseeing continuous crypto trading, monitoring strategy performance and risk, and implementing trading signals and data sets. The position requires working every other weekend, in addition to a typical daytime schedule during the week.
Unlike traditional financial markets that follow fixed hours and close on weekends, crypto markets operate 24/7 — with no closing bells, holidays, or after-hours sessions. Significant price movements can occur at any time, making round-the-clock coverage essential.
Traditional Finance Firms Expand Hiring for Weekend Crypto Roles
Traditional finance firms are ramping up crypto hiring to ensure coverage through weekends, as the 24/7 nature of digital asset markets demands continuous oversight.
American high-frequency trading firm Virtu Financial is currently recruiting a weekend trader in Singapore to manage crypto activity beyond the traditional weekday trading window.
Similarly, Jump Trading’s crypto division had been hiring for a weekend trader role in Chicago. While the listing is no longer active, it likely indicates the position has been filled as firms race to secure talent for round-the-clock operations.
The surge in weekend crypto roles reflects a broader trend among major hedge funds and trading firms investing heavily in crypto infrastructure and staffing to support non-stop market engagement.
Brevan Howard’s crypto-focused arm, BH Digital, now includes dozens of professionals, featuring over 15 portfolio managers, more than 10 data scientists and traders, and around 20 external engineers supporting its strategies.
Point72, the hedge fund led by Steve Cohen, is also expanding its digital assets presence. Its quant-focused division, Cubist, is hiring a crypto quantitative developer in Paris.
According to a March report by CoinShares, hedge funds are playing a growing role in the crypto investment space. The report noted that seven of the top ten holders of Bitcoin ETF shares are hedge funds, which now account for 41% of all 13F Bitcoin ETF holdings—surpassing investment advisers for the first time.
Weekend Volatility Persists in Crypto Markets
Crypto markets continue to exhibit heightened volatility over weekends. In April, digital asset prices fell sharply following a Friday tariff announcement by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The downturn extended into the weekend, with Bitcoin plunging 7%, from $83,000 to $77,000.
Weekend volatility is often exacerbated by unexpected events such as hacks or security breaches. With lower liquidity and reduced staffing during off-hours, malicious actors sometimes time exploits for late Friday or Saturday, triggering rapid sell-offs and steep price declines.
While traditional hedge funds are only beginning to hire specifically for weekend coverage, seasoned crypto traders have long adapted to the market’s nonstop rhythm.
“Weekends are for working. Free time? No such thing—work time. Save your free time for the bear. For now, we grind,” crypto trader Altcoin Gordon posted on X, capturing the relentless pace of weekend trading.
