Following two prior announcements and a minor delay, Firstrade, a commission-free U.S. brokerage firm, has introduced its new Overnight Trading feature, extending market access for clients to almost 20 hours daily.

The new service allows investors to trade over 1,200 stocks and ETFs from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. ET the following trading day.

Firstrade Expands Trading Hours, Offering Near Round-the-Clock Access

According to the press release sent to Finance Magnates, extended market hours should provide investors with more flexibility to react to global market events and adjust their strategies outside of traditional market opening times. The move comes as demand for extended trading capabilities continues to grow among retail investors.

“Firstrade is committed to putting our clients first by continually enhancing their trading experience,” said John Liu, CEO of Firstrade. “With Overnight Trading, investors can respond more efficiently to international events and after-hours market activities—seizing opportunities the moment they arise.”

Firstrade first suggested it wanted to introduce 24-hour stock trading for U.S. markets in November of the previous year. This was confirmed in February when the firm announced that the service would be made available through a collaboration with Blue Ocean Technologies, leveraging its alternative trading system, BOATS.

At that point, Firstrade indicated the service would roll out by the end of the first quarter of 2025. The company almost met this timeline, finally granting access to traders in early April after managing a waitlist that began in February

24-Hours Real-Time Quotes and Stock Charts

To support the new trading hours, Firstrade has implemented 24-hour real-time quotes and stock charts. These tools are designed to help investors track price movements across all trading sessions and make informed decisions based on up-to-date market data.

The brokerage firm has also extended its customer support, offering professional assistance around the clock to address any concerns or questions that may arise during overnight trading sessions.

All stocks and ETFs available through Overnight Trading are offered at no cost to clients.

Trade Wherever and Whenever You Want

Firstrade’s latest moves highlight a growing trend among investors who, with 24-hour market access from their smartphones, no longer want to be tied to short, traditional stock trading sessions.

For example, The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is taking note and has been considering the idea of all-day stock trading, inspired by the nonstop nature of cryptocurrency markets. To better understand what investors think, the NYSE recently started a survey to explore interest in extended hours and address any potential worries.

There’s clear evidence that people want more flexibility. A March report from Robinhood showed that as much as 25% of its trading happens outside regular market hours. Last year, Robinhood rolled out a 24-hour trading option, letting users place limit orders from Sunday night through Friday night. Now, the NYSE is looking into going further by possibly allowing full trading, including market orders, around the clock.

Other companies are already jumping on board. Interactive Brokers provides 24/5 trading for 10,000 U.S. stocks and ETFs, along with U.S. Equity Index futures and options. Meanwhile, Webull teamed up with Blue Ocean Technologies to extend its trading hours, following a path similar to Firstrade’s.

This shift shows how the demand for constant market access is reshaping how investors engage with stocks.

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