Rakuten Securities will add U.S. stock after-hours trading for Japanese clients, extending access to 16 hours with limit orders, new order tools, and key trading risk notes.
Rakuten Securities, Inc. announced on June 8, 2026, that it will open after-hours trading for U.S. stocks to Japanese clients from June 22, 2026. After the new service goes live, clients will be able to trade U.S. stocks from 17:00 to 9:00 the following day Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time, with the maximum trading window reaching 16 hours. The company said this is one of the longer U.S. stock trading windows among Japan’s major online securities firms.
The core change in this adjustment is the inclusion of the trading period after the U.S. regular market close within Rakuten Securities’ service coverage. Based on U.S. daylight saving time, regular trading for U.S. stocks takes place from 22:30 to 5:00 the following day Japan time; the newly added after-hours window runs from 5:00 to 9:00 Japan time. This period corresponds to the time after the U.S. market closes, when corporate earnings, major announcements and macroeconomic news are often released. Rakuten Securities hopes to enable Japanese clients to handle related trading needs directly during the Japanese morning.
Trading Services to Expand on June 22
After-Hours Window Covers the Japanese Morning Session
Rakuten Securities said the after-hours trading service launching on June 22, 2026, forms part of extended-hours trading for U.S. stocks. The window runs from 6:00 to 10:00 Japan time during standard time and from 5:00 to 9:00 Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time. Since Japanese investors usually need to participate in the U.S. market late at night, the addition of a morning trading session changes the previous use case in which clients could only handle U.S. stock orders at night or before early morning.
After after-hours trading goes live, Rakuten Securities’ U.S. stock trading hours will consist of three parts:
Pre-market trading: 17:00 to 22:30 Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time.
Regular trading: 22:30 to 5:00 the following day Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time.
After-hours trading: 5:00 to 9:00 Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time.
In its press release, the company said the extended trading window will help clients respond to corporate earnings, industry news and price movements released after the U.S. market close. This wording shows that Rakuten Securities positions the service expansion as a supplement to cross-time-zone trading access, rather than simply extending the opening hours of its trading interface.
Limit Orders Become the Main Rule for the New Window
Rakuten Securities explained that only limit orders will be accepted during the after-hours trading window. The eligible scope includes U.S. stocks,ADRs andETFs that the company handles in principle.OTCsecurities are not included in the service scope.
The limit order rule means clients must specify an acceptable price when placing an order. Compared with the regular trading session, the after-hours market may face lower trading volume, wider bid-ask spreads and increased price volatility, so trading platforms usually impose restrictions on order types. Rakuten Securities has not opened market orders at the same time, instead first connecting the new window through orders with specified prices.
Order Tools to Be Updated First on June 14
IFD Orders and Trailing Orders Added Together
Before after-hours trading officially begins, Rakuten Securities will first open new U.S. stock order functions on June 14, 2026. The newly added tools includeIFDorders and trailing orders. The former allows clients to set a subsequent sell or repayment order in advance when submitting a buy order; the latter allows clients to automatically adjust the trigger price as the price moves in a favorable direction after stop-loss conditions are set.
Rakuten Securities said the purpose of the new order tools is to allow clients to set profit-taking or stop-loss arrangements in advance even while sleeping or working. Since the main U.S. stock trading period is misaligned with daily life in Japan, the rollout of these order functions before the trading-hour expansion shows that the company is trying to first strengthen automated order management capabilities.
On June 14, 2026, Rakuten Securities will open IFD orders and trailing orders for U.S. stocks.
On June 15, 2026, the company plans to launch a points campaign for U.S. stock cash and margin trading.
On June 22, 2026, the after-hours trading window will officially be added to U.S. stock services.
After after-hours trading goes live, the maximum trading time during U.S. daylight saving time will expand to 16 hours.
| Time | Action | Scope | News Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Parent company invested in 24X US Holdings | Infrastructure for longer-hour U.S. stock trading | Paved the way for a future 23-hour trading target |
| January 2026 | Opened pre-market trading for U.S. stocks | Extended-hours trading for U.S. stocks | Increased the maximum trading time to 12 hours |
| June 14, 2026 | Launched IFD orders and trailing orders | U.S. stock cash and margin trading | Added order management functions for longer-hour trading |
| June 15, 2026 | Planned to launch a points campaign | Clients trading U.S. stocks through cash and margin accounts | Supported client adoption of the new services |
| June 22, 2026 | Added a new after-hours trading window | U.S. stocks, ADRs and ETFs | Expanded the maximum trading time to 16 hours |
24-Hour Trading Plan Continues to Advance
24X Investment Forms Part of the Long-Term Roadmap
Rakuten Securities mentioned in its press release that its parent company, Rakuten Securities Holdings, invested in 24X US Holdings in May 2025. The company is committed to promoting longer trading hours for U.S. stocks. Rakuten Securities said it hopes to achieve 23-hour U.S. stock trading for Japanese client services as early as possible through this related initiative.
The U.S.SEChas previously approved 24X National Exchange to operate as a national securities exchange. Rakuten Securities’ launch of 16-hour trading this time does not mean it will immediately achieve a 23-hour service, but it places January’s pre-market trading, June’s order tools and June’s after-hours trading into the same product roadmap.
The company also mentioned that, in addition to extending trading hours, Rakuten Securities has expanded U.S. stock-related services in recent years, including an automatic purchase service for U.S. dollar-denominatedMMFs and the use ofAIto provide individual stock investment information. Rakuten Securities said in its press release that it will continue to provide products and services.
Competition Among Japanese Online Brokers Continues to Shift Toward U.S. Stocks
Rakuten Securities’ latest update comes as Japanese online brokers continue to compete for U.S. stock clients. After domestic Japanese stock trading commissions declined, U.S. stocks, margin trading, order tools, points systems and investment research services have become important areas for brokers to differentiate the user experience.
Compared with Japanese stocks, U.S. stocks differ in the number of listed companies covered, industry structure and earnings disclosure rhythm. For Japanese clients, trading hours have long been one of the main constraints on participating in the U.S. market. By placing the after-hours window in the Japanese morning session, Rakuten Securities aims to connect information released after the U.S. market close with daytime operations for Japanese clients.
However, the new trading window also means clients need to pay attention to the trading restrictions of extended-hours markets. After-hours executions may differ from those during regular sessions, and price movements may also be affected by order book depth. Rakuten Securities emphasized in its press release that relevant products may incur losses due to price fluctuations, and clients should read the fee and risk disclosures before making trading decisions.
Questions About Rakuten Securities’ Extended U.S. Stock Trading
When will Rakuten Securities add U.S. stock after-hours trading?
Rakuten Securities announced that it will add U.S. stock after-hours trading from June 22, 2026. During U.S. daylight saving time, the window runs from 5:00 to 9:00 Japan time; during standard time, it runs from 6:00 to 10:00 Japan time.
What products can be traded during the new after-hours window?
Rakuten Securities said after-hours trading will apply in principle to the U.S. stocks, ADRs and ETFs it handles. OTC securities are not included in this service scope.
Can market orders be used during after-hours trading?
No. According to the rules announced by Rakuten Securities, only limit orders will be accepted during the after-hours trading window, and clients must specify an acceptable trading price when placing an order.
What new order types will be added on June 14?
Rakuten Securities will add IFD orders and trailing orders from June 14, 2026. The former can preset a subsequent sell or repayment order when buying, while the latter can automatically adjust the stop-loss trigger price as the price moves favorably.
