Nasdaq, a major global exchange that hosts tech giants such as Nvidia, Apple, and Amazon, is preparing to submit documentation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday to introduce round-the-clock stock trading. The move aims to capitalise on growing international demand for U.S. equities. Nasdaq provides listing services and facilitates trading across various asset classes. As one of the world’s largest exchanges, it plays a crucial role in the global financial ecosystem.
Investor interest in continuous U.S. stock trading has increased significantly in recent years, prompting regulatory adjustments and approvals for exchanges to extend trading beyond standard hours. Data from Nasdaq indicates that foreign holdings of U.S. equities reached $17 trillion last year, underscoring the global appeal of the U.S. stock market, which represents almost two-thirds of the market value of listed companies worldwide. The New York Stock Exchange and Cboe Global Markets have also recently revealed their intentions to shift towards round-the-clock stock trading.
According to Nasdaq, the proposal involves expanding trading hours for stocks and exchange-traded products from the current 16 hours to 23 hours, five days a week. The exchange anticipates launching non-stop trading five days a week in the latter half of 2026. Nasdaq plans to operate two trading sessions: a day session from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern U.S. time, followed by a one-hour break, and a night session from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following day.
Chuck Mack, senior vice president of North American markets at Nasdaq, noted the increasing globalisation of U.S. markets and the growing demand from international investors. While major Wall Street banks have expressed caution regarding 24/7 trading due to concerns about liquidity and volatility, advocates argue it will enable global investors to respond more promptly to developments occurring outside regular market hours. The success of this initiative depends on upgrades to securities information processing and clearing systems, with the U.S. Depository Trust and Clearing Corp. planning to implement non-stop clearing for stocks by the end of 2026.
