Starting Dec 6, South Korean investors will be able to trade US equities almost around the clock, as local brokers adopt Nasdaq’s 23‑hour session and an alternative platform for the remaining hour.
Key points
- South Korean brokers will enable near‑24‑hour US stock trading from Dec 6, combining Nasdaq’s extended session with Blue Ocean for the remaining hour.
- The extended schedule also covers ETFs listed on NYSE Arca, offering 23‑hour access to those products.
- The Korea Securities Depository expects minimal operational cost impact, while Citibank will strengthen settlement monitoring.
- Strong demand is evident, with $2.20 billion net US‑stock purchases recorded in early November.
South Korean brokerage firms and the Korea Securities Depository plan to roll out near‑round‑the‑clock trading of US stocks on Dec 6, 2026, according to the Korea Herald. The new regime will merge Nasdaq’s extended 23‑hour schedule with the alternative trading platform Blue Ocean, which will cover the hour not included in Nasdaq’s session.
Nasdaq’s extended session will open at 9:00 p.m. US Eastern Time on Sunday, Dec 6, which translates to 11:00 a.m. Korean Standard Time on Monday. The schedule will also apply to exchange‑traded funds listed on NYSE Arca, extending their trading to 23 hours a day.
Extended trading schedule and platforms
The Korea Securities Depository expects to ask its local custodian, Citibank, to reinforce monitoring and ensure uninterrupted settlement of the extended hours. It also anticipates that the change will have a minimal impact on personnel costs and system operations.
Investor appetite for US equities remains strong. Over four trading days from Nov 2 to 6, the depository recorded net purchases of US stocks worth $2.20 billion, up from $1.96 billion in August and more than double September’s $1 billion figure.
Operational preparations and cost impact
Analyst Park Woo‑Yeol of Shinhan Securities warned that the 23‑hour Nasdaq trading could heighten competition with South Korea’s KOSPI index, as the US market will now be open during Korean daytime hours. Meanwhile, Korea Exchange aims to build IT infrastructure for a unified trading venue and introduce a pre‑market session for a 12‑hour regime by the end of 2027.
Reader questions
When does the extended US‑stock trading begin for South Korean investors?
The new schedule starts on Dec 6, 2026; Nasdaq’s extended session opens at 9 p.m. US Eastern Time on Sunday, which is 11 a.m. KST on Monday.
Which platform will handle the hour not covered by Nasdaq’s extended session?
The alternative trading platform Blue Ocean will operate during the remaining hour, completing a near‑24‑hour trading window.
What impact might the 23‑hour trading have on South Korean investors?
It could increase competition with the domestic KOSPI market and give investors more flexibility to trade US equities during Korean daytime hours.
Source: ua.news
