SEC Announces 24/7 Stock Trading Roundtable
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a roundtable meeting scheduled for September 17, 2026, in Washington, DC, to discuss the prospect of continuous, round-the-clock trading in US stocks. The format mirrors the always-on trading environment familiar in cryptocurrency markets.
Panelists at the event will include representatives from several major financial institutions, among them Citigroup, BlackRock, Nasdaq, Charles Schwab, Jane Street, and the New York Stock Exchange. The meeting will be open to the public via live webcast.
Agenda Covers Market Readiness and Risks
Items on the agenda include exchange readiness, system resiliency, and broader market impacts. Participants will also examine the challenges that continuous trading presents, including surveillance, cybersecurity, liquidity management, and investor protections.
The roundtable was arranged in response to heightened demand for 24/7 trading capabilities from both domestic and international investors. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins acknowledged the potential for full-time trading to attract global liquidity while emphasizing the importance of establishing appropriate safety rails.
Institutional Firms Preparing Infrastructure
Major traditional finance institutions are actively working to build out the blockchain infrastructure required to support instant settlements and tokenized collateral, features characteristic of continuous markets.
The NYSE, Nasdaq, and London Stock Exchange Group have each laid plans for such an expansion, with support from large banks including Citigroup and BNY Mellon. Meanwhile, brokerage platforms Robinhood and Charles Schwab are scaling their existing 24-hour, five-day-a-week trading services toward full 24/7 operation.
Market Reaction Divided
The announcement prompted mixed reactions. Some observers raised concerns that overnight trading could open markets to manipulation, while others viewed the move as a significant step toward removing closing-hours restrictions that have long defined traditional financial markets.
