Nasdaq Pushes for 24/7 Stock Trading Amid Global Demand Surge

• Nasdaq files with the SEC to enable near-24/7 U.S. stock trading on weekdays.
• Foreign investors hold nearly $17T in U.S. stocks, driving off-hours demand.
• Extended trading targets a 2026 launch, despite liquidity and volatility concerns.

Nasdaq has taken a step further towards facilitating near round-the-clock trading in the U.S. stock market. The exchange submitted official papers to the Securities and Exchange Commission requesting permission to permit weekday trading of stocks on an almost-24/7 basis. The proposal meets the rising demand for international investors seeking access outside of Wall Street hours.

According to the exchange, off-hours trading interest has risen in a steady manner. Foreign investors would like to respond to news as it breaks. Nasdaq reported that global participation has been a key feature in the US equity markets. The exchange framed the shift as structural instead of temporary.

Nasdaq has mentioned high foreign ownership as one of the driving forces. The US stocks are now almost two-thirds of the total listed market value in the world. Last year, foreign investors had nearly $17 trillion of US shares. Nasdaq stated that those numbers symbolize profound global dependence on American markets.

Nasdaq Advances Push for Longer Trading Hours

This filing represents the initial formal move of Nasdaq toward near-continuous trading. Nasdaq President Tal Cohen earlier this year declared that the exchange had already initiated discussions with regulators. He said that Nasdaq was aiming to launch in the second half of 2026. 

The Cboe Global markets and the New York Stock Exchange have announced plans to expand the trading hours. Exchange leaders believe that markets in the United States are now global platforms. They mentioned that access will not be limited to US business hours.

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Asia is contributing to a high proportion of demand. The trading hours in the region do not correspond with those in the US. Investors desire direct access during earnings or geopolitical occurrences. The volume of overnight trade is still lower, but the number of participants is increasing.

Structure of Expanded Day and Overnight Sessions

In its proposal, Nasdaq has described a detailed trading structure. The availability of weekday trading would increase by 16 hours to approximately 23 hours. The day shift would start at 4 am and end at 8 pm. Eastern Time. A one-hour break would follow system maintenance and trade clearing.

This overnight would then operate between 9 pm and 4 am. Nasdaq announced that they would carry over the pre-midnight trades to the next trading day. These exchanges said that this method maintains the integrity of settlement. It also provides access without interfering with prevailing operations.

According to Nasdaq, longer trading hours would lead to less dependence on other trading platforms. Global investors could trade the predominant US stocks directly. They would not have to wait until the US market opened. The exchange claimed that these changes would enhance efficiency and transparency.

The shift towards off-hours access is already visible in ETFs. Tidal Trust has recently submitted a Bitcoin Afterdark ETF. The company mentioned the demand from investors to trade outside the normal schedule. Nasdaq cited the filing as a sign of a shifting behavior in the market.

Some Wall Street banks caution that lower liquidity during overnight trading may amplify volatility and affect profitability.

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