The London Stock Exchange is planning to launch round-the-clock trading from early next year to give global investors more flexibility to respond to market events.
London Stock Exchange 24 (LSE 24) will be built on LSEG's financial market infrastructure but will operate separately from the London Stock Exchange's Main Market, which will continue to operate its existing trading hours.
The new trading venue will connect financial markets infrastructure with cutting-edge AI enabled workflows, LSEG said, and will facilitate secure native connectivity for the next generation of agent-based trading capabilities.
By combining extended-hours access with agentic connectivity, the venue is designed to support the next generation of market participation as trading becomes more digital, automated and globally connected.
Subject to regulatory approvals, LSE 24 will leverage LSEG's Digital Securities Depository (DSD), currently also being built with active market engagement to create the foundation for the digitisation of issuance, settlement and asset servicing.
The DSD is set to expand into different asset classes to meet client demand and enable new functionalities across markets. LSEG said itnwill interoperate with other market participants to shape the evolution of the market and accelerate adoption.
LSE 24 will be available for client testing by the end of 2026, with Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) launching as the first asset class in H1 2027, subject to regulatory approval.
The venue intends to draw on elements of central limit order book and request-for-quote functionality to support price transparency and on-demand liquidity, with the flexibility to expand into equities as the next step.
Julia Hoggett, CEO of LSE plc and head of digital and securities markets at LSEG, said: "The launch of LSE 24 marks an important step in the evolution of our markets, providing clients with greater flexibility beyond traditional trading hours and supporting more digital, connected global markets.
"By integrating with LSEG's digital markets infrastructure, LSE 24 will help support deeper liquidity, greater efficiency and broader participation in our markets, reinforcing London's position as a leading global financial centre."
