In a non-stop world with a fast-paced global economy, stock markets are adapting. After rumors arose around a post from a senior executive on social media, Nasdaq publicly confirmed that the company is now considering keeping negotiations going 24/7 during weekdays—an unprecedented fact in the history of financial markets.
The president of the company, Tal Cohen, published on his LinkedIn a document explaining the next steps of the project and reassuring its intention to move in this direction. “We are excited to share that Nasdaq has begun engaging with regulators, market participants, and other key stakeholders, with a view to enabling 24-hour trading five days a week on the Nasdaq Stock Market,” the executive wrote.
Initially, it would work with larger market cap companies to measure demand. The idea is to launch it in the second half of 2026. In addition to expanding trading hours, Nasdaq’s plan aims to enhance liquidity, offer more trading opportunities, and meet the demands of an increasingly global and connected investor base. As global markets continue to operate in different time zones, Nasdaq is keen to allow investors from all regions to trade during hours that best suit their local times.
On the same occasion, Cohen mentioned the growing importance of retail investors, with more and more people manifesting interest in stocks, especially in the tech sector—Nasdaq’s core business. This is a trend not only in the US but globally, which brings international interest to the topic, as recent data showcases. In June of last year, foreign holdings of U.S. equities reached $17 trillion, nearly doubling since 2019. Retail investors are becoming a dominant force in global markets, and their presence in Nasdaq is increasing, especially in emerging sectors like electric vehicles and renewable energy.
This is also the reason why more than 11% of trading on Nasdaq was already happening in the pre-market and after-hours, aligned with Asian time zones. The CEO explained that the initiative is a way to better serve those investors as well, since they have become a very significant portion of the tech market itself. Nasdaq’s proposal is not just to provide more access but also to support the increasing demand for flexibility in trading hours from international investors.
But Nasdaq is not the only one. Other competitors, like Cboe Global Markets (CBOE.Z) and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE.N)—the operator of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)—are not lagging behind. Both of them already requested SEC approval to operate for longer periods of time during the week. The SEC is currently evaluating these requests, as extending market hours could have significant implications for market dynamics and regulation.
It is not a consensus, though. Institutional investors are questioning if the new system could harm the accuracy of pricing and reduce companies’ reaction to abrupt declines and material facts. They argue that the extended hours might lead to reduced market efficiency, as prices could become less reflective of true market conditions outside of regular trading hours. Besides, the system behind negotiations, the securities information processor (SIP) would have to be upgraded to support the new trading session.
