On July 23, 2026, the SEC announced that it will host a public roundtable on September 17, 2026, to discuss preparations for potential 24-hour trading in the U.S. equity markets. The roundtable will focus on overnight trading infrastructure, market operations and resiliency, and the opportunities and challenges associated with expanding trading hours. The event will be held at SEC headquarters and streamed live on SEC.gov.
Chairman Paul Atkins framed the discussion as part of the evolution of the U.S. equity markets, stating that the SEC is “moving toward a new day—and night” and emphasizing the importance of balancing expanded trading hours with investor and customer protections.
Although the SEC has not proposed a rule mandating 24-hour trading, the announcement signals that preparations for extended trading hours are becoming an increasingly important regulatory focus. The SEC is accepting public comments in advance of the roundtable under File No. 4-913. Comments may be submitted through the Commission’s online comment form, by email to rule-comments@sec.gov, or by mail to the SEC’s Secretary. All submissions will become part of the public record and will be posted without redaction of personal identifying information.