SEC Schedules September Roundtable on 24‑Hour US Stock Trading

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will hold a public roundtable on Sept. 17 at its Washington headquarters to discuss extending U.S. equity markets to near‑continuous, 24‑hour trading. SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the markets are entering a “new era of day and night” and highlighted the need for operational design, oversight and resilience in an always‑on environment.

Industry participants are already moving toward longer trading hours. Nasdaq has been in talks with regulators and aims to launch five‑day, 24‑hour trading in the second half of 2026, pending approval. Cboe has begun offering 24‑hour stock trading and positions itself as the first U.S. venue to do so. The London Stock Exchange plans to introduce an overnight trading venue in early 2027. The SEC’s meeting does not guarantee rule changes but reflects growing pressure to align traditional equities with the continuous liquidity of cryptocurrency markets and to meet retail investor demand for round‑the‑clock access.