Wealthsimple launches 24/5 trading for U.S. stocks: the first in Canada
By Tara Kennedy, VP and Head of Capital Markets
Regular trading hours for the TSX, Nasdaq, and the NYSE run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. But at Wealthsimple, we believe markets shouldn’t close before you’re done making moves. That’s why we added early trading hours from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET earlier this year, and it’s why we’re taking the next big step: making 24-hour trading on select U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs available five days a week.
Starting today, all Wealthsimple clients can trade from Sunday at 8:00 p.m. to Friday at 8:00 p.m., and at no extra cost. Wealthsimple is the first financial institution in Canada to offer 24/5 trading without interruption on select U.S.-listed securities — the longest trading hours of anywhere in the country.
Ultimately, it’s about access. Whether you work nights or have other nine-to-five commitments, not everyone can manage their investments during the day. Without 24/5 trading, you would have to pay someone else to trade for you or miss out on the opportunity completely. But now, Canadians have the convenience and flexibility to trade when it’s best for them, whether that’s before work, late at night, or anytime in between.
It’s also about the ability to react in real time. If there’s a weather event halfway around the world that affects the price of oil, and news breaks about it overnight, active traders may want to seize those market opportunities right away rather than wait for the bell to ring the next day. We live in a 24-hour news cycle, and the markets should reflect that. Crypto trades 24/7, the foreign exchange market is 24/5, and now at Wealthsimple, U.S. stocks are 24/5 too.
One note of caution: for all the benefits of 24-hour trading, there are risks involved. Liquidity tends to be lower after regular trading hours, which means that spreads can be wider, and stock prices can be more volatile. When those factors combine, news events may cause an exaggerated and unsustainable effect on the price of a security. But as extended trading hours increasingly become the global norm, the impact of those drawbacks should start to diminish.
Empowering Canadians to invest around the clock and potentially react to breaking events and news, 24/5 trading aligns with Wealthsimple’s mission to be the smartest place to trade in Canada.
In Comparison: Trading Hours
Brokerage | Pre-Market | Market | Post-Market | Overnight |
Wealthsimple | 4am - 9:30am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 8pm ET | 8pm - 4am ET |
IBKR | 4am - 9:30am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 8pm ET | 8pm - 3:50am ET |
Questrade | 7am - 9:30am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 8pm ET | N/A |
BMO | 8:15am - 9:15am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 5pm ET | N/A |
CIBC | 8:05am - 9:29am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 6pm ET | N/A |
TD | 8am - 9:20am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 7pm ET | N/A |
RBC | 8am - 9:25am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 5pm ET | N/A |
Scotiabank | 8am - 9:30am ET | 9:30am - 4pm ET | 4pm - 5:30pm ET | N/A |
*As of May 21, 2025
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What is 24/5 trading? 24/5 trading offers Wealthsimple clients the ability to buy and sell select US stocks and ETFs from Sunday at 8 p.m. to Friday at 8 p.m. ET — in other words, 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. For context, trading hours have historically been restricted to 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can learn more about 24/5 trading here.
