Stories
US Equities Go Global: Trading 23 Hours a Day to Meet International Demand
- •US stock exchanges are extending trading hours to 23 hours daily by December 2026, driven by demand from international investors.
- •Tokenized US stocks already show peak trading volume from 8 p.m. ET, coinciding with the start of the Asian trading day.
- •Over 90% of Binance's tokenized stock users are from emerging markets, contributing to significant overnight trading volumes.
- •The extended hours aim to create durable liquidity by accommodating global participants in different time zones, rather than simply stretching existing hours.
- •Key infrastructure like clearing and market data systems have been updated to support the 23-hour trading schedule, with the weekend remaining a non-trading period.
Key Questions Answered
Nasdaq has informed members that new trading hours will take effect on December 6, 2026, shifting from 16 to 23 hours a day. Cboe is preparing a December launch on EDGX pending approval, and NYSE Arca is targeting the end of 2026.
Extending exchange hours required clearing and consolidated market data solutions rather than just longer venue operations. The National Securities Clearing Corporation went live at 24x5 on June 29, 2026, and securities information processors were approved for the December 6 launch.
Tokenized equity records indicate that 92% of on-chain volume and 59% of Binance venue volume executed while US markets were closed over the seven days leading up to July 28. In July 2026, 62% of bStocks volume on Binance traded outside regular US hours.
