NSCC expands clearing to 24×5 for U.S. equities

The National Securities Clearing Corporation, a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, expanded its clearing hours to 24×5, operating from Sundays at 8:00 PM ET through Fridays at 8:00 PM ET. The change makes NSCC’s central counterparty guarantee available immediately for trades executed outside traditional U.S. market hours and across multiple time zones.

DTCC described the expansion as a response to demand from investors and trading venues for extended access to U.S. equities and said the extended window aims to strengthen safety, soundness and efficiency while supporting greater global participation.

DTCC worked with exchanges, alternative trading system providers, clearing firms and other market participants to prepare for the transition. A testing environment opened in January 2026 and participants that consume UTC real-time messages were required to test system changes. DTCC reported that all firms completed testing successfully before the go-live.

NSCC previously extended its operating hours in September 2024 by starting clearing roughly 2.5 hours earlier; many alternative trading systems have used that earlier window.

Market participants said the 24×5 clearing reduces overnight counterparty exposure and eases the operational burden for venues and brokers that want to scale extended trading hours. Several ATS operators and clearing agents indicated they are ready to support near-continuous access. Exchanges have signaled plans to introduce longer trading hours later in 2026, and market data processors have announced planned extensions to align data feeds with the longer clearing window.

“By increasing clearing hours to operate on a near-continuous basis, we are enhancing access to U.S. markets for investors around the world, while maintaining the robust risk management and resiliency capabilities that are critical to market stability,” Brian Steele, Managing Director and President of Clearing & Securities Services at DTCC.

Dmitri Galinov, Founder and CEO of 24X National Exchange, welcomed the alignment of clearing infrastructure with venues that operate beyond regular hours and said global demand for 24×5 access is strong. Executives at Apex Fintech Solutions, Blue Ocean Technologies, Bruce Markets, Cboe, NYSE, Nasdaq, MEMX and OTC Markets Group described operational readiness among clearing agents and venues and noted that the expanded clearing window supports increased cross-time-zone participation.

NSCC’s 24×5 clearing is effective immediately for eligible trades. Market participants are expected to adjust operational procedures and risk management processes as trading volumes and liquidity patterns develop during the extended hours.