Tempus AI Inc (TEM) Perpetual Futures: How to Trade With Up to 20x Leverage

2026-09-01
Tempus AI Inc (TEM) Perpetual Futures: How to Trade With Up to 20x Leverage

Tempus AI's stock has moved more than 10% in a single day at least four times in the past month alone, the kind of volatility that makes leveraged trading genuinely appealing, and genuinely risky. 

TEM perpetual futures let you trade that price action 24/7, including nights and weekends when Nasdaq is closed, using up to 20x leverage without needing a traditional brokerage account. Here's exactly what TEM futures are, how the mechanics differ from owning the stock, and how to actually place a trade.

Key Takeaways

  • TEM perpetual futures let you trade price exposure to Tempus AI (NASDAQ: TEM) stock around the clock, including outside regular U.S. market hours, using up to 20x leverage, settled entirely in USDT rather than requiring a traditional brokerage account.

  • You don't own actual TEM shares through this product. It's a derivative contract that tracks the stock's price, meaning no shareholder rights, dividends, or voting power, only exposure to price movement in either direction.

  • Tempus AI has been an unusually volatile stock recently, with several single-day moves above 10% in August 2026 alone tied to earnings, an acquisition, and FDA clearances, exactly the kind of price action leveraged trading amplifies in both directions.

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What Are TEM Perpetual Futures?

TEM perpetual futures are a derivative contract, available through Bitrue's TEM futures market, that tracks the price of Tempus AI Inc (NASDAQ: TEM) stock. "Perpetual" means the contract has no expiry date, unlike traditional futures, so positions can be held open indefinitely as long as margin requirements are met. 

The contract is margined and settled in USDT, and supports up to 20x leverage, part of Bitrue's broader TradFi futures lineup covering U.S. stocks, forex, precious metals, and commodities, all tradable without opening a separate traditional brokerage account. Bitrue confirmed the listing directly on its official X account.

What Is Tempus AI (TEM), the Company Behind the Ticker?

Tempus AI is a healthcare technology company applying artificial intelligence to precision medicine, spanning oncology, neuropsychiatry, cardiology, infectious disease, and radiology. 

Founded in 2015 by Eric Lefkofsky and headquartered in Chicago, the company trades on Nasdaq with a market capitalization of roughly $12.4 billion as of late August 2026.

The company's second-quarter 2026 results showed real business momentum: revenue of $382.5 million, up 22% year-over-year, alongside its first GAAP-net-income-positive quarter and raised full-year revenue guidance to roughly $1.6 billion. 

Tempus also announced a roughly $1.5 billion acquisition of Personalis, aimed at the emerging minimal residual disease cancer-testing market, and received FDA clearance for its Tempus ECG-PH product in the same window.

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Why TEM's Volatility Makes It a Popular Futures Pick

Volatility is the whole story here. Within a single month, TEM shares climbed from the low $40s in late July to the mid-$50s by August 11, pulled back to the high $40s by August 18, then jumped again, up 13.65% on August 19, roughly 10% on August 20 alone, and further on August 21 following positive trial results from an unrelated Merck and Moderna cancer therapy that use technology from Tempus's pending Personalis acquisition. 

By August 26, shares stood at $68.73. That's an unusually wide range for a large-cap stock in a matter of weeks, and it's exactly the kind of price action that draws traders toward a leveraged product: bigger moves mean bigger potential outcomes in either direction.

How TEM Futures Differ From Buying TEM Stock

 

TEM Stock (Brokerage)

TEM Perpetual Futures (Bitrue)

Ownership

Real shares, full shareholder rights

No ownership, a price-tracking contract only

Trading hours

Standard Nasdaq hours, plus limited extended sessions

24/7, including weekends

Leverage

Typically limited or unavailable without a margin account

Up to 20x

Settlement

U.S. dollars via a brokerage account

USDT

Corporate actions

Entitled to any declared dividends or voting rights

None; the contract only reflects price movement

How Does 24/7 Trading Work When Nasdaq Is Closed?

This is worth understanding before you trade through a weekend or holiday. When the underlying stock market is closed, there's no live order flow from the actual exchange driving price discovery, so the contract's price during those hours leans more heavily on broader market sentiment, news, and the funding rate mechanism that keeps the perpetual contract's price aligned with the underlying asset. 

Funding rates can behave differently, and sometimes more noticeably, during these closed-market windows compared to when Nasdaq is actively trading, which is a nuance worth factoring in if you're holding a position overnight or through the weekend.

Read Also: Bitrue Futures Hot Picks Fest: How to Claim Up to 1,000 USDT?

How to Trade TEM Perpetual Futures on Bitrue: Step by Step

TEM Perpetual Futures: How to Trade With 20x Leverage
Source: Bitrue Announcement

  1. Create a Bitrue account and complete KYC verification. Identity verification is required to access leverage above 20x on Bitrue's futures products generally, and since TEM's cap sits right at that level, full verification is worth completing regardless.

  2. Deposit USDT and transfer it to your futures wallet. Funds need to sit in the futures wallet specifically, separate from your main spot balance, before you can open a position.

  3. Navigate to Bitrue's TEM futures market, found under the TradFi tag in the futures section.

  4. Choose your margin mode (cross or isolated) and set your leverage, up to the 20x maximum available on this contract.

  5. Select an order type, limit, market, or stop, and open a long position if you expect the price to rise or a short position if you expect it to fall.

  6. Monitor your liquidation price and margin ratio closely, and consider setting Take Profit and Stop Loss orders given both the leverage involved and TEM's demonstrated volatility.

TEM Futures Risks to Understand Before Trading

  • Leverage amplifies both directions. A 20x position can be liquidated by a comparatively small adverse price move, sometimes just a few percentage points against your position.

  • TEM is already a high-volatility stock on its own. With multiple double-digit single-day swings in August 2026 alone, tied to earnings, M&A news, and FDA decisions, layering leverage on top of that kind of underlying volatility compounds the risk substantially.

  • There's no real ownership behind the contract. None of the usual protections or benefits of owning equity, dividends, voting rights, a direct claim on the company, apply here.

  • Funding rate behavior can shift when the underlying market is closed, adding a cost dimension beyond simple price direction, particularly for positions held over weekends.

  • Standard derivatives platform risk applies, including liquidation risk and the general risks of trading on any centralized exchange.

Read Also: Rules for the Bitrue Global Trading Festival 2026: Please Read Carefully

Conclusion

TEM perpetual futures give traders a way to act on Tempus AI's genuinely volatile price action around the clock, without needing a separate brokerage account or being limited to standard market hours. 

That flexibility comes paired with real risk: leverage on an already high-beta stock is a combination that can move fast in either direction. If you're considering it, Bitrue's TEM futures market is where to start, but size any position with that combined volatility in mind.

FAQ

What are TEM perpetual futures?

TEM perpetual futures are a USDT-margined derivative contract on Bitrue that tracks the price of Tempus AI Inc (NASDAQ: TEM) stock, with no expiry date and up to 20x leverage available.

Do I own real Tempus AI stock through TEM futures?

No. The contract only tracks TEM's price. You receive no shareholder rights, dividends, or voting power, only exposure to the stock's price movement.

What's the maximum leverage for TEM futures on Bitrue?

Up to 20x leverage is available on Bitrue's TEM perpetual futures contract.

Can I trade TEM futures when the stock market is closed?

Yes. TEM futures trade 24/7, including nights, weekends, and holidays when Nasdaq itself is closed, though funding rate behavior can shift during those windows.

Is TEM a volatile stock?

Yes. Tempus AI has shown several single-day price swings above 10% in August 2026 alone, driven by earnings results, a major acquisition announcement, and FDA clearances, making it a notably high-beta stock.

Disclaimer: The views expressed belong exclusively to the author and do not reflect the views of this platform. This platform and its affiliates disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or suitability of the information provided. It is for informational purposes only and not intended as financial or investment advice.

Disclaimer: The content of this article does not constitute financial or investment advice.

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