The stock market is going 24 hours, 7 days a week

The Stock Market Is Going 24/7

The move toward continuous 24-hour trading marks the most significant transformation in market structure since electronic systems replaced traditional trading floors.

Historically, the stock market operated from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., complete with opening and closing bells dating back to the 1870s. That schedule, once a fixture of Wall Street routine, now seems outdated—much like the headsets still seen on the New York Stock Exchange floor.

Today, the financial world is rapidly adopting the always-connected mindset inspired by cryptocurrency and prediction markets. A new wave of individual investors, eager for constant market access, is driving this change.

“The shift — driven by surging retail investor participation that now accounts for at least 20% of daily U.S. trading volume and a global appetite for American equities — represents the most fundamental change to market structure since electronic trading replaced the trading floor.”

Major exchanges, including the NYSE and Nasdaq, are actively developing plans to extend trading hours to 22 and even 24 hours daily. Some platforms aim to roll out the expanded schedule before the end of the year.

Author’s Summary

The shift to all-day trading redefines Wall Street’s traditions, merging retail investor enthusiasm with the nonstop pace of digital markets in a historic structural change.

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qz.com qz.com — 2025-11-04

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