Opinion

24/7 trading a reality in 2026? Actually, it’s already here

With 24-hour trading quickly becoming a reality across financial markets, John Shammas, chief growth officer of DriveWealth explores how this is reshaping investor behaviour, technology demands and regulatory priorities, and how the industry can tackle the challenge of delivering continuous trading efficiently and effectively.
By John Shammas

For several decades, full-scale 24-hour trading was treated as a theory on Wall Street trading desks, largely dismissed as something the financial markets might develop, but not anytime soon.

Now, reality has intervened. For millions of US investors, overnight and near-continuous market access is already live, ushering in a new era of expanded trading hours. These include major brokerage platforms that offer extended and around-the-clock access to certain asset classes, plus announced support from high-profile exchanges like Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange.

Think about what is already in some trading arsenals.

Today’s investors can check their portfolios at midnight, react to global news before breakfast, and place trades well outside traditional market hours, even on a 24-hour basis. To them, while not every asset trades around the clock, the investing experience increasingly feels continuous. 

The opening and closing bell no longer define how people engage with markets.

What’s changed most isn’t just access, it’s expectations

As expanded trading rises, investor attention grows with it. We’re seeing investor behavior evolve in real time and expectations grow and accelerate even faster.

Take younger investors. They have been nurtured on the digital experience since their formative years and hold outsized trading expectations that traditional trading hours can’t accommodate. This demographic doesn’t waste time; they expect portfolio values to update instantly and demand the ability to act when information hits in real time, not hours later. This mindset was shaped in large part by the crypto environment, where real-time pricing, 24/7 access and immediate execution were built in from day one, making traditional markets feel increasingly archaic by comparison.

Globalisation only reinforces that shift, but in a new way. Today, it’s increasingly non-US investors who are laser-focused on US markets, drawn to the liquidity, scale and global relevance of American brands. As more international companies choose to list in the US rather than their home markets, global investors are tracking US stocks in real time – often alongside markets in Asia and Europe. In South Korea, for example, retail investors held a record of approximately $171 billion in overseas stocks as of late January 2026, with net purchases of US shares hitting nearly $5 billion in a single month. When US markets move, access and immediacy matter everywhere.

New adjustments need to accompany expanded trading

Meeting those outsized expectations isn’t as simple as keeping markets “open.”

Supporting innovation beyond standard trading hours, particularly in the 24-hour realm, requires systems that are resilient, scalable, and built for global participation. Settlement, clearing, and liquidity management all become more complex when activity doesn’t respect the clock.

Powering global investing experiences means thinking beyond traditional brokerage boundaries and designing technology that works seamlessly across markets, time zones, and asset classes. Always-on trading raises the bar for infrastructure, compliance, and the overall trading experience. Let’s face the facts: risk management doesn’t get easier when markets run longer.

That’s why trading technology must evolve. Modern APIs, cloud-native architecture, and global connectivity are no longer optional or nice-to-haves. AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics are increasingly essential tools, not just for efficiency, but for managing risk, detecting anomalies, and helping investors navigate fast-moving markets where the lights are always on.

Two shifts to ponder in a new world of 24-hour trading

First, markets are likely to become more segmented. Different asset classes, geographies, and investor types will operate across different access windows. Traditional trading hours will coexist with targeted, always-on offerings, giving investors more flexibility while introducing new considerations around pricing, volatility, and education.

Second, regulation will need to evolve alongside these changes. Protecting investors while supporting innovation is a delicate balance. That evolution must be accompanied by additional oversight, ample regulatory and operational staffing, and investments – all while maintaining trust in the system.

From where I sit, the takeaway is clear.

24/7 trading isn’t something markets are preparing for; it’s something they’ve already accepted and are adapting to. While the financial sector will continue to rely on structured liquidity events, market firms and price-insensitive investors increasingly expect trading access on their terms. In this new era, innovation won’t be defined by set trading hours, but by how seamlessly, safely, and responsibly investors can participate, regardless of the clock on the wall.

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