SEC Sets September Roundtable on 24-Hour US Stock Trading

US equities have traditionally traded during fixed exchange sessions, but demand for broader access has grown with electronic markets, global participation and round-the-clock capital flows. Moving toward 24-hour trading would require exchanges, brokerages and clearing systems to reassess liquidity, price discovery, technology maintenance and investor safeguards, particularly during overnight periods when trading volumes may be thinner.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission will hold a public roundtable on September 17, 2026, to examine preparations and operational resilience for 24-hour stock trading. SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins said US markets were entering a new era in which trading would no longer stop at night, while stressing that regulators would seek to support market innovation without weakening investor-protection mechanisms.