Nasdaq Inc (NASDAQ:NDAQ), the American stock exchange home to major tech companies including Apple, Amazon, and Nvidia, has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to extend trading hours for US stocks, potentially moving toward nearly round-the-clock access on weekdays.
According to the filing disclosed Monday, Nasdaq proposes adding a night trading session from 9 pm to 4 am Eastern Time, separated from the regular daytime session by a one-hour maintenance break.
If approved, the change would expand trading from roughly 16 hours a day to 23 hours, five days a week, allowing overnight order flow to be executed on Nasdaq platforms. The exchange aims to launch the extended schedule in the third quarter of 2026.
“Global investors expect access on their terms, in their time zones, without compromising trust or market integrity,” Nasdaq North American Markets senior vice president Chuck Mack told Bloomberg News.
Nasdaq’s proposal is part of a broader trend among US exchanges toward longer trading periods. The New York Stock Exchange has similarly indicated plans to extend trading hours to 22 hours per day.
There is growing demand from retail and international investors for extended market access. Participation in US equities from overseas has increased, with foreign holdings reaching $17 trillion last year, while the popularity of trading apps and alternative investment platforms has also contributed to interest in longer trading windows.
Proposals to extend trading hours have attracted mixed reactions from analysts and market participants. Some see extended hours as a way to meet global demand and increase market accessibility, while others caution that trading outside standard hours could amplify volatility and produce larger price swings, as investors have less time to process financial developments.