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

The Stock Market Is Moving Toward 24/7 Trading

The traditional stock market schedule, running from 9:30 AM to 4 PM with opening and closing bells dating back to the 1870s, is becoming outdated. This change reflects a major shift in market structure comparable to when electronic trading replaced physical trading floors.

Adapting to Modern Trading Demands

Wall Street is quickly adapting to the continuous trading model popularized by cryptocurrency and prediction markets. This change is aimed at serving a new generation of retail traders who prefer constant market access.

Extended Trading Hours by Major Exchanges

Driving Factors Behind the Change

The move is largely fueled by increased retail investor involvement, which now makes up at least 20% of daily U.S. trading volume. Additionally, there is growing global demand for access to American equities.

A version of this article originally appeared in Quartz’s members-only Weekend Brief newsletter. Quartz members get access to exclusive newsletters and more.

This evolution signals the most significant transformation in market structure since electronic trading first took hold.

Author's summary: The stock market is evolving beyond its historic hours, driven by retail investors and global demand, moving toward continuous 22- to 24-hour trading that reshapes how markets operate.

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qz.com qz.com — 2025-11-04

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