Wall Street may soon never sleep again. The American stock exchange Nasdaq has officially announced its intention to allow nearly continuous stock trading. This move responds to growing demand from global investors who increasingly seek access beyond traditional U.S. market hours.


Continuous Trading as the New Standard?

Nasdaq has already submitted official documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which, if approved, would allow stocks to be traded nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week. The main driver behind this step is the rising involvement of foreign investors.

According to available data, U.S. stocks currently represent about two-thirds of global market value. Just last year, foreign investors held over $17 trillion in U.S. equities.


A Move That Could Change Global Exchanges

Earlier this year, Nasdaq President Tal Cohen indicated that discussions with regulators are already underway. If all goes according to plan, the system could launch in the second half of 2026.

However, Nasdaq is not the only institution considering expanded trading hours. Other U.S. exchanges such as the NYSE and Cboe Global Markets have announced similar intentions. Exchange leaders argue that American markets are no longer merely local players – they’ve become global hubs relied upon by investors across continents.

There’s particularly strong interest from Asia, where time zones conflict with regular U.S. trading hours. Although trading volumes at night are lower than during the day, investor demand is rising – especially due to the need to quickly react to breaking news.


How Will 24/7 Trading Work?

Nasdaq’s plan outlines a 23-hour trading day. The “day session” would start at 4:00 a.m. and run until 8:00 p.m. It would be followed by a one-hour break for system maintenance and trade settlement.

The night session would then run from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., effectively covering almost the entire day. Trades executed before midnight would be counted toward the next trading day.

To enable such operations, Nasdaq must implement major technological upgrades. One critical component is an overhaul of the Securities Information Processor (SIP), which distributes real-time stock price data.

It’s also worth noting that Nasdaq has filed for tokenized stock trading this year – signaling its ambition to lead in the digital transformation of capital markets.


The Risks? Low Liquidity and Higher Volatility

Not everyone welcomes this move without reservations. Some Wall Street banks warn that liquidity could be significantly lower during overnight hours. This could increase volatility and threaten the stability of stock prices.

There are also concerns about whether brokers and liquidity providers will have enough incentive to maintain round-the-clock service – and whether overnight trading will even be profitable from a cost-benefit perspective.


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