1. Introduction
Traditionally you trade US stocks between 15:30 and 22:00 (Dutch time) on weekdays. With crypto exchanges offering tokenised stocks, that changes: 24/5 trading is now possible.
2. What exactly is 24/5?
24/5 trading means you can trade 24 hours a day on weekdays (Monday to Friday). Concretely: from Monday 00:00 UTC to Friday 23:59 UTC. At the weekend the market is closed.
It is a middle ground between:
- Traditional market hours (~6.5 hours a day, Monday-Friday)
- 24/7 crypto (always open, weekends included)
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3. How does it differ from 24/7?
With crypto you trade 24/7 because the blockchain never closes. With stocks it is subtler:
- The underlying market is closed at weekends — so no real price discovery
- Corporate actions such as dividends and stock splits typically happen on weekdays
- Market makers are less active at weekends
For stocks on-chain, 24/5 is therefore the logical choice — you get weekday liquidity, while the weekend stays closed for maintenance and processing corporate actions.
4. How does off-hours pricing work?
Outside regular US market hours, price is set by:
- Internal market makers of the exchange
- Correlation with futures — S&P 500 futures trade nearly 24 hours
- News and pre-market data
Spreads can be wider outside market hours, and prices can gap shortly after the traditional market opens ("gap risk").
5. Benefits
- React to news immediately — evenings and early mornings
- Event-driven strategies — act during market-moving events
- For busy professionals — trade after work
6. Risks
- Lower liquidity — wider spreads, more slippage
- Gap risk — prices can jump at the US open
- Emotional trades — 3am decisions are rarely your best
7. Who offers it?
Nearly all crypto exchanges with a stocks product support 24/5. The difference lies in:
- Quality of the spreads
- Reliability of the market makers
- Weekend maintenance
See Compare stocks for an overview.
24/5 stock trading bridges the gap between traditional market hours and always-on crypto: you can react to news late at night or early in the morning, but off-hours prices are set by internal market makers rather than the real order book. Liquidity is thinner and gap risk at the US open is real, so treat it as a convenience feature — not a free upgrade.
Frequently asked questions
Can I trade at weekends too?
For stocks: occasionally — a few venues run weekend sessions. For crypto: always (24/7).
Are off-hours prices reliable?
They reflect the venue's best estimate; expect possible gaps at the US open.
Do I pay extra fees for 24/5?
Usually not — the same fee schedule applies.
