Wall Street Adopts T+1 Settlement for Stock Trades Starting Today

May 28, 2024, 12:06 AM

Starting today, May 28th, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mandates all broker-dealers and market participants to settle trades on a T+1 basis, reducing the settlement period from two days to one. This modernization move aims to align US markets and stock trading with other markets such as Treasuries, currencies, and futures, which already operate on a faster cycle. The change is expected to have significant implications for the internal operations of the market, though the average investor may not notice a difference. The shift to a T+1 settlement cycle has been driven by the rise in retail trading activity and the 24/7 nature of cryptocurrency markets. The issue has become a hot topic on Wall Street. However, the faster settlement process introduces unique challenges for the ETF market, requiring market participants to adapt to the new timeline.