Demand for multi-venue competition grows in South Korea to prevent ‘blind trading’ during U.S. overnight session
CHICAGO and SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bruce Markets, which operates the overnight U.S. equities trading venue Bruce ATS, today announced that Meritz Securities, a leading Korean investment bank and broker-dealer, has connected to Bruce ATS’ market data feed for overnight U.S. equities. The integration provides Meritz Securities with greater visibility into quote and trade activity on Bruce ATS throughout the 8:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m. ET overnight U.S. session, broadening customers’ view of U.S. equity prices during the Korean business day.
The milestone comes as South Korean traders fight ‘blind trading’ and reassert their role as one of the most important sources of overnight U.S. equity demand:
- Korean brokerages resumed daytime access to U.S. stocks in November 2025 following a 15-month suspension, with stronger safeguards and a multi-venue framework.
- Bruce Markets analysis found that total overnight notional activity nearly doubled between the November reopening and March 2026.
- Since November 2025, several venue-specific symbol restrictions have reinforced the importance of multi-venue competition. Multiple trading venues help Korean retail traders access pricing data and avoid ‘blind trading’ – a need underscored in September when one venue halted trading in five symbols that collectively averaged 15+ million daily shares in August.
“Healthy markets are built on competition, transparency and choice. Bruce’s share of reported overnight volume nearly doubled in Q2 because market participants increasingly recognize the value of having more than one credible source of liquidity and data,” said Jason Wallach, CEO of Bruce Markets. “Meritz Securities’ connection brings a more complete view of the overnight session in U.S. equities to one of its most important investor bases. That visibility is essential if Korean firms are going to prevent blind trading and deliver the high-quality experience customers deserve.”
Meritz Securities’ connection to Bruce ATS market data reflects accelerating growth in overnight U.S. equities. Across the three leading overnight ATSs, Q2 trading reached 11.14 billion shares and $391.2 billion in notional value – increases of 34% and 59% from Q1, respectively – according to the Bruce Q2 Overnight Market Review.
Bruce ATS accelerated significantly in Q2, with executed volume up 144% to 1.16 billion shares and executed notional up 105% to $49.03 billion. The momentum has continued into September, with Bruce’s share of reported overnight notional climbing from 14.13% to a record 20.77%, and its share of monthly overnight volume rising from 11.66% to 16.4%.
“Meritz Securities is pleased to expand Korean investors’ access to the U.S. overnight equity market through Bruce ATS,” Meritz Securities said in a statement. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to providing clients with broader market access and a stable, reliable trading experience across extended trading hours.”
As Korean demand for U.S. equities continues to expand, a competitive, multi-venue ecosystem ensures market resilience and gives brokers, traders and liquidity providers multiple pathways to see and reach liquidity across a wider range of market conditions.
About Bruce Markets
Bruce Markets operates Bruce ATS™, a U.S. equities alternative trading system enabling overnight trading from 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET. Underpinned by exchange-grade technology and market rules, led by industry veterans and backed by leading firms from across the trading ecosystem, Bruce provides a high-performance, resilient venue that bridges the U.S. after-hours and pre-market sessions. By providing a credible source of after-hours liquidity for brokers and investors and leading the evolution of always-available markets, Bruce brings needed competition to the ecosystem and is redefining after-hours trading worldwide. To learn more, visit www.brucemarkets.com.
About Meritz Securities
Meritz Securities Co., Ltd. is a South Korean financial services firm and member of Meritz Financial Group. The company provides securities brokerage, investment banking, sales and trading, and other financial services to retail, institutional and corporate clients. Meritz continues to expand its retail and global investing capabilities through technology-led platforms that bring together trading, information, analysis and investor communities. To learn more, visit home.imeritz.com.
Media Contacts
Forefront Communications for Bruce Markets
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Meritz Securities
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SOURCE Bruce Markets
