Seoul: South Korea's main bourse, the Korea Exchange (KRX), announced on Tuesday that it is exploring the possibility of extending its trading hours to 12 hours. The KRX has actively sought feedback from local brokerage firms regarding this potential change.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the KRX has distributed a survey to local securities firms, requesting their opinions on the proposed 12-hour trading system. The plan is still under consideration, and no final decision has been made yet. Currently, while cryptocurrencies like bitcoin trade around the clock, and South Korea's alternative trading platform, Nextrade (NXT), offers trading from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., stocks listed on the KRX are only traded for approximately six hours, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The KRX survey presented three options for extending trading hours. One option involves opening the official market an hour earlier at 8 a.m. and operating an after-market until 8 p.m. The other two options involve introducing a pre-market session from 8 a.m. before the opening bell. The KRX aims to stay competitive and align with international trends, following the example of global exchanges that are extending their trading hours.
In March, a senior executive from Nasdaq suggested discussions were underway with regulators to launch a 24-hour trading service by the second half of 2026. Similarly, the London Stock Exchange is reportedly considering extending its trading hours and is examining the practicalities of such a move.
Industry officials have noted that implementing a 12-hour trading system at the KRX might take time. An official from a local security firm highlighted that while the NXT was established in 2020, it took years to start operations due to the time required to test new systems and prevent potential disruptions.