The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has announced it will hold a public roundtable on September 17, 2026, to examine the feasibility and implications of 24-hour stock trading in U.S. equity markets. The event will take place at the SEC's Washington, D.C. headquarters and will be streamed online.

According to an SEC press release, the discussion will focus on overnight market access, market operations, system resilience, and investor protection.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins stated that longer trading sessions could align American equities with other continuously traded global markets. The roundtable will gather perspectives from exchanges, brokers, investors, and clearing firms.

The push for round-the-clock equity trading has gained momentum as retail investors increasingly seek the ability to react to overnight news and earnings, a capability already available in cryptocurrency markets that operate on a 24/7 basis. Brokerages including Robinhood and Interactive Brokers have already expanded extended-hours access for clients, signaling growing demand beyond the traditional 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern session.

The SEC shared the announcement on social media:

The SEC will host a roundtable on September 17 to discuss moving towards 24-hour trading in the U.S. equity markets. Agenda, panelists, and registration info will be available soon. See additional info below
— U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (@SECGov) July 23, 2026

Operational Challenges of Extended Trading

Transitioning to 24-hour stock trading would require coordination far beyond simply extending exchange hours. Market data systems would need to publish prices over longer periods, while clearing firms would have to process transactions outside the traditional trading day.

Brokers would face the need for continuous order monitoring, customer support, and risk management controls. SEC Trading and Markets Director Jamie Selway has previously identified corporate actions, trade reporting, and common protocols as key challenges.

Lower overnight participation could result in thinner liquidity and wider bid-ask spreads—a dynamic already observed in existing pre-market and after-hours sessions, where reduced volume typically leads to less favorable pricing for investors. Technical outages may also become harder to manage as maintenance windows shrink. Firms would need to coordinate trading halts, error corrections, dividend payments, and other corporate events across extended sessions.

The SEC has not proposed a final rule or established a common launch date for round-the-clock trading. The September roundtable is expected to inform the agency's understanding of market readiness and potential regulatory frameworks, though no timeline for formal rulemaking has been set.

Nasdaq and Cboe Advance Extended-Hours Plans

Nasdaq expects to introduce a 23-hour weekday schedule during the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approval and industry readiness. Its proposed overnight session would run from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Eastern Time.

Cboe has already received SEC approval for near-continuous trading on its EDGX exchange. The exchange plans to launch the schedule in December 2026, contingent on infrastructure readiness. Trading would run from Sunday night through Friday evening, with a daily one-hour operational break.

The London Stock Exchange is also developing LSE 24 as a separate venue. Client testing is planned before the end of 2026, with exchange-traded products potentially launching during the first half of 2027.