Rakuten Securities has confirmed its investment in 24X, the holding company currently developing the 24X National Exchange set to offer trading of US securities after-hours from Sunday to Thursday.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved 24X – the first round-the-clock exchange – in November 2024, dependent on amendments.
24X made its registration application to the SEC to launch the first ever 24-hour exchange for equities on 6 February 2024, following an unsuccessful application in 2023.
Through this investment, 24X National Exchange is set to further strengthen its infrastructure for 24-hour trading in the US, said the firm.
Read more – An un-unified approach to expanding equities trading hours
The move “addresses the growing demand for flexible trading hours from investors in Japan and beyond,” said the businesses in a statement. “This investment in 24X by Rakuten Securities Holdings will allow Rakuten Securities to level up its US stock trading services by bringing around-the-clock trading to investors in the near future.”
In recent times, Nasdaq, Cboe Global Markets, and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), have also announced plans for extended trading hours for equities.
Nasdaq begun engaging with regulators to enable 24-hour trading, five days a week on the Nasdaq Stock Market in March 2025.
In October 2024, NYSE revealed intentions to extend weekday trading on its Arca Equities Exchange to 22 hours a day to support global, exchange-based trading of all US-listed equity products, whilst Cboe Global Markets revealed plans in February 2025 to expand its trading hours for US equities, moving to a 24-hour model for five days a week, subject to regulatory approvals.