US stocks are about to enter “24-hour trading”! The SEC announces a roundtable on 9/17: a new era that never sleeps begins

The U.S. stock market is one step closer to full-time, around-the-clock continuous trading! The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today issued an announcement stating that it will hold a public roundtable on September 17, 2026, to comprehensively discuss the preparations for—and potential challenges to—U.S. stock markets moving toward “24-hour trading.” SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins was even more direct: U.S. stocks are entering a new era where there is no day or night. He hopes that as after-hours trading is expanded, the market can align with other continuous trading markets, and that the most core investor protection mechanisms are ensured.
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• Focus on after-hours trading readiness and market resilience
• SEC Chair: U.S. stocks are moving toward an era with no day or night
• Broadly invites public participation to kick off the comment solicitation process

As global financial markets become increasingly interconnected, the traditional stock trading time framework is facing unprecedented upheaval. On July 23, Taipei time, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released an official press release, formally announcing preparations to implement “24-Hour Trading” in the U.S. stock market and to hold a public roundtable of landmark significance.

Focus on after-hours trading readiness and market resilience

This roundtable, which has drawn significant attention from Wall Street and the global investment community, will be held on September 17, 2026, at the SEC headquarters in Washington, D.C. According to the announcement, the discussion at this meeting will focus on three key areas. First are specific preparation measures to support “overnight trading.” Second is an in-depth discussion of operational mechanisms and system resiliency in a 24-hour market environment. Finally, it will provide a comprehensive assessment of the opportunities and challenges brought by expanding the around-the-clock trading regime.

SEC Chair: U.S. stocks are moving toward an era with no day or night

Regarding this major market-structure change, SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins demonstrated an actively supportive stance in his statement. “We are moving toward a new era for the U.S. stock market—one with not only day, but also night,” Atkins said.

He further pointed out that, as overnight trading mechanisms are expanded, he is very much looking forward to the U.S. stock market smoothly aligning with other global markets that have already implemented continuous trading. However, Atkins also emphasized seriously that while pursuing the convenience and market efficiency of around-the-clock trading, the roundtable must balance innovation with the most important “investor and customer protection mechanisms,” ensuring that the market remains fair, orderly, and transparent at all times.

Broadly invites public participation to kick off the comment solicitation process

To ensure that policy-making can incorporate input from all sectors, the SEC announced that the roundtable will be open to public participation. In addition to the in-person meeting, it will also be livestreamed in full on the SEC.gov official website, and recordings will be provided afterward for the public to review. The detailed agenda and list of speakers are expected to be published ahead of the meeting.

In addition, the SEC has officially initiated a public comment solicitation process (Case File Number File Number 4-913), and strongly welcomes submissions from all parties regarding their recommendations for 24-hour trading plans. The public may submit comments through the SEC’s online form, a dedicated email, or by physical mail. The SEC also specifically reminded that the submitted comments will become part of the roundtable’s public record and will be uploaded to the official website in their entirety; therefore, it calls on the public to provide only information they are willing to have disclosed. These valuable responses will serve as an important foundation for future concrete regulatory amendments.