Nasdaq Proposes Nearly 24-Hour Trading to Meet Growing Global Investor Demand

Nasdaq has taken a major step toward nearly round-the-clock trading, filing a proposal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to significantly extend its trading hours. The move reflects the increasingly global nature of financial markets and changing investor behavior, especially as demand grows for access to U.S. stocks outside traditional market hours.

Under the proposal, Nasdaq would expand trading in stocks and exchange-traded products (ETPs) from the current 16 hours per day to 23 hours per day, five days a week. The new schedule would introduce a day session running from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by a one-hour pause. Trading would then resume with a night session from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next morning. The trading week would begin Sunday at 9 p.m. ET and conclude Friday at 8 p.m. ET, while the familiar opening and closing bells at 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. would remain unchanged.

Nasdaq said trades executed between 9 p.m. and midnight would be recorded as part of the following calendar day. The exchange emphasized that extended trading hours would make U.S. markets more accessible to investors across different time zones, particularly those in Asia and other regions where business hours do not align with U.S. market hours.

The proposal is especially relevant for public crypto-related companies listed on Nasdaq, including Coinbase, Robinhood, Strategy, and several bitcoin mining firms. These stocks could see increased global participation if trading becomes available nearly 24/7. Nasdaq noted that while extended-hours trading volume is currently lower than during regular sessions, interest in overnight trading has been steadily increasing.

Nasdaq also pointed to the influence of cryptocurrency markets, which operate continuously, shaping investor expectations for constant market access. As more investors use platforms offering 24/7 trading in digital assets and tokenized securities, traditional exchanges are adapting to remain competitive.

The filing underscores Nasdaq’s intention to capture global order flow and position itself for future participation in digital asset markets. Reuters was the first to report on Nasdaq’s move to pursue extended trading hours.