The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is reported to be planning to open a separate night trading market in the first half of 2027. As cryptocurrency and tokenised stock platforms push 24-hour trading, traditional stock exchanges are also moving into a competition to extend trading hours.

Cointelegraph, a blockchain media outlet, reported on Monday that the London Stock Exchange is pursuing a plan to set up a night market separate from its regular market. The night market would run from 5 p.m. to 7:50 a.m. London time the next day. The main market would continue to operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., unchanged.

Initial products are expected to be exchange-traded products tracking UK and U.S. stock markets. Rather than expanding immediately across individual stocks, the exchange is expected to run a separate market with a limited product scope first to check demand and system stability.

The London Stock Exchange's plan comes as competition over trading hours in global financial markets intensifies. Round-the-clock trading has already become standard in cryptocurrency markets, and tokenised stock platforms also cite 24-hour trading as a key competitive strength. As a result, traditional exchanges that have operated around regular sessions are also showing moves to reduce time constraints to retain investor demand.

Julia Hoggett (줄리아 호젯), chief executive officer of the London Stock Exchange, said demand for extended trading among retail investors is growing. She said investors want to use London's time zone to invest not only in UK assets but also in global assets. It is interpreted as aiming to capture demand after European markets close and during hours outside the U.S. regular session. If implemented, the London Stock Exchange would in effect provide trading services for most of the day.

The night market would not be structured as a fully integrated part of the existing main market. The exchange plans to keep its regular-market system intact while operating a separate session. Investors would be able to use an additional trading channel outside regular hours.

Competition between traditional financial markets and digital asset markets is also changing quickly. In the past, what was traded and liquidity were the key factors, but recently the hours available for trading have emerged as a way to attract investors.

Key issues will be the actual launch timing and the initial product lineup. Attention is on how much the night market will draw retail investor demand, and whether the London Stock Exchange's move will spur other global exchanges to expand trading hours.