Overview
- The LSE formally announced plans on Tuesday to launch a separate near‑continuous weekday venue called LSE24, with client testing by the end of 2026 and a target go‑live in the first half of 2027, subject to approvals.
- LSE24 will run roughly 17:00–07:50 UK time with a 30‑minute nightly pause and will operate separately from the Main Market, which will keep its existing 08:00–16:30 schedule.
- The venue will start by trading exchange‑traded products (ETPs) tied to UK and US markets, with about 2,600 ETPs expected to be supported as it scales and equities to follow pending further steps.
- LSEG says LSE24 will support agent‑based trading connectivity and link to its Digital Securities Depository to enable automated workflows and digital settlement capabilities.
- The change responds to competition from round‑the‑clock crypto and tokenization platforms and follows similar extended‑hours moves by Nasdaq, CME, Cboe and the NYSE, raising questions about out‑of‑hours liquidity and wider spreads.