Rakuten Securities Holdings announced today (Tuesday) it has invested in 24X US Holdings, a Delaware-based fintech company developing what would become the first 24-hour stock exchange in the United States.
The race for first place could be especially fierce, particularly as Nasdaq has begun discussions with regulators and is targeting a launch in the second half of 2026.
Rakuten Securities Backs 24X in Push for Round-the-Clock US Trading
The investment positions Rakuten Securities to offer extended trading hours to its Japanese customers and other international investors seeking access to US markets during their local business hours. The move comes as global appetite for US technology stocks continues to drive demand for more flexible trading schedules.
24X National Exchange, the wholly owned subsidiary of 24X US Holdings, received Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approval in November 2024 to operate a stock exchange offering 23 hours of daily trading on weekdays. The company plans to launch its exchange operations later this year.
The investment amount and ownership stake were not disclosed in Tuesday’s announcement.
Growing International Appetite
The partnership addresses mounting pressure from international investors who want to trade US stocks without being constrained by traditional New York trading hours. Especially since the latest data show that Wall Street giants like Tesla generate 80–90% of their gains outside regular trading sessions.
Charles Schwab is already taking advantage of this trend by expanding trading hours to 24 hours a day for retail clients on select instruments. Nasdaq, meanwhile, aims to go a step further, transitioning from a session that currently covers one-third of the day to a fully around-the-clock market.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is also targeting extended trading, aiming for 22-hour sessions, a plan it first unveiled in October 2024.
Asian investors, in particular, have voiced frustration over having to trade during overnight hours in their local time zones. If the world’s largest exchanges operated continuously, such issues would no longer arise. Of course, liquidity remains a separate concern.
Rakuten Securities has positioned itself as a pioneer in cross-border trading services. In April 2020, it became the first major online broker in Japan to offer combined domestic and US stock trading through a single smartphone application. The company expanded this capability to its desktop platform in August 2022.
Expanding Digital Infrastructure
The Japanese broker has been building its digital trading infrastructure to capture growing retail investor interest in international markets. In December 2024, Rakuten Securities launched a stock lending service that allows customers to earn interest income on their US stock holdings.
The company also established the Japan Alternative Market in September 2024, a proprietary trading system developed in partnership with other securities firms. Rakuten Securities expects to create synergies between this domestic platform and 24X’s extended-hours exchange.
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.ProductsRead More
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