As major exchanges explore the potential for round-the-clock trading, industry experts highlight significant operational, liquidity, and regulatory challenges that may delay widespread implementation.
The long-anticipated push towards offering 24/7 trading in the equity markets—well, at least the idea—while technically feasible, faces quite a few hurdles and complications. According to a recent report from the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), it's not exactly around the corner, nor do they suggest it would necessarily be the best move for everyone involved. The industry body stresses that expanding trading hours beyond what we have now needs to be done very carefully if we want to keep the market fair, protect investors, and avoid systemic risks.
What the WFE points out is that there are several dangers tied to longer hours. For starters, liquidity could suffer—meaning it might get harder to buy or sell without moving prices significantly—which can cause wider bid-ask spreads, especially during those overnight sessions. They also highlight the operational challenges, like maintaining continuous monitoring of trading activity and ensuring that tools like circuit breakers and kill switches are always ready to activate, all while under strict supervision and escalation processes. These controls, they say, are vital because, during quieter times when fewer trades happen, risks can spike unexpectedly.
From a technical perspective, the hurdles don’t stop there. Market players would need to upgrade or overhaul their systems to handle round-the-clock data flows and post-trade processing. Plus, ensuring oversight outside of usual banking hours and managing complexities like trade funding, settlement, and corporate actions such as dividends would add more layers of difficulty. And managing benchmarks, clearing, margining, or even corporate actions becomes trickier when trading doesn’t stop at the traditional closing bell. The report proposes some potential solutions—like using “virtual closes” or brief market shutdowns—to get around some of these issues.
Interestingly enough, while the WFE isn’t sold on the idea that full 24/7 trading is an unavoidable future, it does recognize that markets with genuine demand might consider partial extensions—say, trading for 22 or 23 hours on weekdays—as a stepping stone. But even then, this would mean a total rethinking of post-trade processes, governance, and supervision to make sure everything runs smoothly across all involved parties—custodians, settlement banks, brokers, and authorities alike.
This cautious approach contrasts sharply with what some major market players are pushing for. For example, Cboe Global Markets recently announced plans to extend US equities trading into 24 hours a day, five days a week. They’re responding to the rising interest from retail investors around the globe—especially in Asia-Pacific—who want more flexible, around-the-clock access. This initiative aims to fill the gap left by the traditional close and pre-market sessions, giving traders more opportunity outside regular hours.
At the same time, the London Stock Exchange Group is also exploring the possibility of 24-hour trading, taking cues from the booming cryptocurrency markets and the widespread use of mobile trading apps favored by younger investors. But, honestly, they too acknowledge the many hurdles—whether technical, regulatory, or liquidity-related—that would need to be addressed first.
Meanwhile, on Wall Street, overnight trading activity seems to be picking up. Platforms like Robinhood, for example, have seen increased volume during after-hours, especially during key market events. This trend is prompting exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, to think about extending their trading hours, although they’re still working through the challenges related to risk management, tech upgrades, and setting appropriate prices across a 24-hour cycle.
Regulators and market makers aren’t silent either. Citadel Securities, for instance, recently wrote to the SEC, highlighting the potential risks of shifting to a 24/7 market. They argued that robust regulation and strong market infrastructure are essential if overnight trading is to be safe and reliable. They also called for closer oversight of alternative trading systems and more transparency in the corporate bond market.
There’s also some progress here—like the SEC approving a new exchange, 24 Exchange, backed by Point72 Ventures. This platform plans a phased rollout of continuous trading, marking a kind of milestone in regulatory acceptance of expanded trading times. It’s a sign that institutions are increasingly open to the idea, as long as enough safeguards are put in place.
All of this points to a pretty pivotal moment in market evolution. While advances in technology and changing investor preferences push things toward longer and even 24/7 trading, the associated operational, regulatory, and liquidity hurdles mean that any move into this realm needs careful coordination. As Nandini Sukumar, CEO of the WFE, put it, the focus must remain on protecting investors and preserving market integrity—any changes should support, not undermine, the ability of global markets to stay competitive and resilient.
References:
- - Paragraph 1 – [[1]](https://www.advisor.ca/industry-news/regulation/24-7-trading-not-so-fast/), [[7]](https://www.world-exchanges.org/news/articles/exchanges-around-world-ring-bell-support-financial-literacy)
- - Paragraph 2 – [[1]](https://www.advisor.ca/industry-news/regulation/24-7-trading-not-so-fast/)
- - Paragraph 3 – [[1]](https://www.advisor.ca/industry-news/regulation/24-7-trading-not-so-fast/), [[7]](https://www.world-exchanges.org/news/articles/exchanges-around-world-ring-bell-support-financial-literacy)
- - Paragraph 4 – [[2]](https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/cboe-plans-extend-equities-trading-24-hours-amid-global-demand-2025-02-03/), [[5]](https://www.ft.com/content/881341a6-9b16-4051-abbe-102572868fe2)
- - Paragraph 5 – [[4]](https://www.ft.com/content/f711e768-5655-4c98-93bc-c83a8eab6c20), [[5]](https://www.ft.com/content/881341a6-9b16-4051-abbe-102572868fe2)
- - Paragraph 6 – [[3]](https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/citadel-securities-flags-us-securities-regulator-about-24-hour-trading-risks-2025-04-30/)
- - Paragraph 7 – [[6]](https://www.ft.com/content/fc41c6fe-2a34-48fd-ac94-68bd08c5bdff), [[3]](https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/citadel-securities-flags-us-securities-regulator-about-24-hour-trading-risks-2025-04-30/)
- - Paragraph 8 – [[1]](https://www.advisor.ca/industry-news/regulation/24-7-trading-not-so-fast/), [[7]](https://www.world-exchanges.org/news/articles/exchanges-around-world-ring-bell-support-financial-literacy)
Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://www.advisor.ca/industry-news/regulation/24-7-trading-not-so-fast/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/cboe-plans-extend-equities-trading-24-hours-amid-global-demand-2025-02-03/ - Cboe Global Markets announced plans to extend U.S. equities trading to 24 hours, five days a week, on its Cboe EDGX Equities Exchange. This move responds to increasing demand from global retail investors, particularly in Asia-Pacific regions, for greater access to U.S. equities trading. The initiative aims to provide round-the-clock trading opportunities, with breaks only on weekends, facilitating overnight trading and enabling investors to place buy and sell orders between the U.S. market close and the next morning's pre-market trading session.
- https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/citadel-securities-flags-us-securities-regulator-about-24-hour-trading-risks-2025-04-30/ - Citadel Securities submitted a comprehensive letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), highlighting concerns and suggestions regarding the potential risks of proposed 24-hour trading by major exchanges like Nasdaq, Cboe Global Markets, and Intercontinental Exchange. The firm emphasized the need for a robust regulatory framework and consistent infrastructure to support overnight trading, advocating for increased regulation of alternative trading systems and enhanced transparency in the corporate bond market.
- https://www.ft.com/content/f711e768-5655-4c98-93bc-c83a8eab6c20 - The rise of overnight trading is gaining traction on Wall Street, driven by the growing availability and sophistication of trading apps, which appeal to an increasingly knowledgeable base of retail investors. Robinhood, a pioneer in smartphone-based trading, has seen significant overnight trading activity, particularly during large market movements. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and other groups are now considering longer trading hours, expanding the traditional 9:30 am to 4 pm window to include more overnight trading. This shift entails complex discussions about managing risks, staffing, technology infrastructure, and setting reference prices in a 24-hour system.
- https://www.ft.com/content/881341a6-9b16-4051-abbe-102572868fe2 - The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) is exploring the possibility of launching 24-hour trading as part of a broader trend among global exchanges to accommodate rising demand from retail investors who trade outside traditional hours. The shift, influenced by the 24/7 nature of cryptocurrency markets and the popularity of mobile trading among younger investors, would require technical, regulatory, and liquidity considerations. While LSEG earns most of its revenue from selling financial data, its stock exchange plays a crucial role in giving international investors access to UK equities.
- https://www.ft.com/content/fc41c6fe-2a34-48fd-ac94-68bd08c5bdff - U.S. regulators have approved the first round-the-clock stock exchange, 24 Exchange, backed by Point72 Ventures. The exchange received approval from the SEC for a two-phase plan, initially operating during regular hours and later expanding to include overnight sessions from Sunday to Thursday. This development responds to the growing demand from retail investors interested in trading stocks outside regular business hours. While other markets, such as Treasuries and major currencies, operate nearly continuously, stock trading has had strict rules limiting overnight trading. The approval of this regulated 'lit' market represents a significant change, as its operations and prices will be official records.
- https://www.world-exchanges.org/news/articles/exchanges-around-world-ring-bell-support-financial-literacy - The World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) is the global industry association for exchanges and clearing houses, representing over 250 market infrastructure providers worldwide. Established in 1961, the WFE works with standard-setters, policymakers, regulators, and government organizations to support and promote the development of fair, transparent, stable, and efficient markets. The WFE shares regulatory authorities’ goals of ensuring the safety and soundness of the global financial system and engages with policymakers and regulators in an open, collaborative way, reflecting the central role that exchanges and central counterparties (CCPs) play in a globally integrated financial system.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 10
Notes: The narrative is current, published on September 11, 2025, and addresses recent developments in 24/7 trading, including the World Federation of Exchanges' report and Cboe Global Markets' plans.
Quotes check
Score: 10
Notes: The quotes from Nandini Sukumar, CEO of the WFE, and Oliver Sung, head of North American Equities at Cboe, are unique to this narrative, with no earlier matches found online.
Source reliability
Score: 10
Notes: The narrative originates from Advisor.ca, a reputable Canadian financial news outlet, enhancing its credibility.
Plausability check
Score: 10
Notes: The claims align with recent industry developments, such as Cboe's announcement of 24-hour trading plans and the WFE's cautionary stance on extended trading hours. The language and tone are consistent with professional financial reporting.
Overall assessment
Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable outlet. It accurately reflects recent developments in 24/7 trading and presents information in a professional manner.