Nasdaq plans 23-hour stock trading from December 6, 2026, pending SEC-required system upgrades. The move targets a 97% surge in global demand for U.S. equities since 2019.
Nasdaq will launch 23-hour-a-day stock trading on December 6, 2026, pending system upgrades, the exchange said Wednesday. The move extends the traditional 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. core session to near-round-the-clock coverage, leaving a one-hour break between 8 and 9 p.m. ET for maintenance and trade-date rollovers.
The Securities and Exchange Commission approved Nasdaq's proposal about four months ago. Final launch depends on upgrades to the Securities Information Processor system, which handles real-time trade data. Nighttime trading will carry restrictions: price bands to reject extreme moves and market orders only with limits, the exchange said, to manage low-liquidity risk.
President Tal Cohen said the shift reflects a 97% surge in global demand for U.S. equities between 2019 and 2024. The Nasdaq Composite has risen 13% year to date, hovering near 26,300, driven by tech and AI buildouts.
Nasdaq's biggest competitor, the New York Stock Exchange, filed for a 24/7 tokenized venue early this year. SEC approval for that venue is still pending, the NYSE's 22-hour trading was approved last year and is expected to launch in 2025.
Private brokerages have already moved into extended hours. Robinhood Markets and Interactive Brokers have offered 24/5 trading for select equities through alternative trading systems since 2023.
Cohen said the new schedule would capture overnight demand from Asia and Europe, where trading in U.S. stocks has grown sharply. The SEC approved the proposal in May, and Nasdaq said it will confirm the go-live date after completing the SIP upgrade.
Prepared with AlphaScala editorial tooling from the source reporting linked above. Indexable analysis may include a cited Alpha Score value. Publishing checks screen each story before release. Educational coverage, not personalized advice.