Wall Street Takes a Major Leap Toward 24/5 Trading With DTCC and Ripple Prime
The U.S. financial system has taken a major leap toward around-the-clock markets. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has announced that its National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) is now live with 24x5 clearing, extending post-trade infrastructure to support nearly continuous trading in U.S. equities.
The rollout has earned support from major industry players, including Nasdaq, Cboe, MEMX, OTC Markets, Instinet, Apex Fintech, Blue Ocean Technologies, and Bruce Markets.
As a result, their backing underscores a growing consensus that modern markets require clearing and settlement infrastructure capable of operating well beyond traditional trading hours.
While extended trading sessions capture most of the attention, the real breakthrough lies in the post-trade process.
Why is this the case? Well, every transaction must be matched, cleared, and risk-managed before settlement can occur. Without infrastructure that operates almost continuously, longer trading hours would introduce significant operational bottlenecks. NSCC's 24x5 clearing addresses that challenge by ensuring post-trade services keep pace with increasingly global and always-on markets.
The move also reflects a broader transformation across capital markets. As investors demand greater access to U.S. equities across time zones, and digital assets continue to trade 24/7, traditional financial infrastructure is evolving to support a more flexible, continuously connected marketplace.
Ripple Prime Bridges Traditional Finance and Blockchain Through NSCC Membership
The other notable development is the growing role of Ripple Prime, formerly Hidden Road. Following Ripple's acquisition of Hidden Road, Ripple Prime became a direct NSCC member, giving it access to one of Wall Street's most critical post-trade clearing networks.
Well, this membership strengthens Ripple Prime's position at the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain. The firm already leverages the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to support institutional over-the-counter trading and capital markets services, providing a bridge between established financial infrastructure and blockchain-powered efficiencies.
While DTCC has not indicated that NSCC clearing uses the XRPL or XRP for settlement, Ripple Prime's participation highlights a broader industry trend that blockchain firms are increasingly becoming part of core financial infrastructure rather than operating on its fringes.
Why does this matter? Well, NSCC's 24x5 clearing launch and Ripple Prime's expanding institutional presence signal the direction of modern finance.
Rather than replacing legacy systems, the industry is upgrading them step by step, creating a faster, more resilient, and nearly always-on financial ecosystem capable of supporting the next generation of global markets.
