Are US stocks open on election day? The Ultimate Guide for 2025 and crypto market observations

For investors in the crypto assets field, while following the price fluctuations of Bitcoin and Ethereum, it is also often necessary to understand the operational rhythm of the TradFi market. A common question is: Does the U.S. stock market open on election day? This not only relates to traditional asset allocation but may also indirectly affect the flow of funds and sentiment in the crypto market. This article will provide you with a clear answer and outline key investment time nodes in conjunction with the current market dynamics.

Core Conclusion: U.S. Stocks Trade as Usual on Election Day

First, give a direct answer: Yes, the US stock market usually opens for trading as usual on presidential election day.

According to the official market holiday schedule for 2025 released by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ (NASDAQ), Election Day is not listed among the market closure days. The stock market holidays in the United States are primarily based on federally recognized holidays, such as New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Although Election Day is of significant national importance, it is not a statutory holiday for financial markets, and therefore the exchanges will remain open.

The trading hours of the US stock market in 2025 (taking Taiwan/Beijing time as an example) are as follows:

• Daylight Saving Time (approximately mid-March to mid-November): Pre-market trading starts at 16:00, regular trading hours are from 21:30 to 04:00 the next day.
• Standard Time (approximately mid-November to mid-March): Pre-market trading starts at 17:00, regular trading hours are from 22:30 to the next day 05:00.

Since the U.S. presidential election usually takes place in early November, when most regions in the U.S. have ended Daylight Saving Time, trading hours apply to Standard Time arrangements. Investors should be aware that although the market is open, market volatility and uncertainty may significantly increase on major event days such as election day.

Why isn't this a simple yes or no? Market dynamics on election day

Although the market is open, “Election Day” means far more to investors than just the confirmation of trading hours. It represents a significant “calendar risk” event, the effects of which may extend for several days or even weeks before and after the election.

1. Historical Volatility Patterns: Historical data shows that the market typically experiences an increase in volatility before and after major election events. Institutional investors may adjust their positions in response to potential policy changes, leading to increased trading volume and significant price fluctuations.
2. Liquidity Changes: Although the market does not close like fixed holidays, some investors may choose to stay on the sidelines and observe before the election results become clear, which may lead to market liquidity being below average during certain periods, and the bid-ask spread may widen.
3. The “non-calendar” market closure effect: From the perspective of behavioral finance, investors' attention is highly focused on election news, which may result in a “de facto half-market closure” state for their actual trading activities, and the market's reaction to macroeconomic data may be delayed or distorted.

Therefore, wise investors are not only asking “Is the market open?” but also asking “Should I trade?”.

Observation of the Crypto Market's Interconnections: A Perspective on Gate Platform's Dynamics on December 1

When the traditional stock market experiences event-driven fluctuations, the crypto market often does not remain unaffected. As a leading global crypto exchange, the asset prices on Gate reflect the real-time sentiment of global investors. As of December 1, 2025, although it is not an election day, the market still provides a valuable observation window.

For example, on the day when the traditional financial market focuses on the release of various macroeconomic data (such as manufacturing PMI from multiple countries, the US ISM manufacturing index, etc.), this data will also affect the market's expectations for future monetary policy (such as the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions), which in turn affects both the stock market and the crypto market. The price fluctuations of mainstream crypto assets on the Gate platform are, to some extent, associated with the risk sentiment (Risk-on / Risk-off) of the traditional market. During election days, which trigger widespread policy expectations, this linkage effect may be even more pronounced.

Investors can leverage the rich trading pairs and real-time data provided by the Gate platform to observe the unusual fluctuations of major crypto assets such as BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT before and after the opening of the US stock market (i.e., after 10:30 PM Beijing/Hong Kong time), which may signal cross-market capital flows or sentiment contagion.

Stock Market Holidays and Early Closing Days You Must Know in 2025

To improve your annual trading calendar and avoid misjudging market conditions outside of election day, here is a summary of the confirmed market closure and early closing days for the US stock market in 2025:

Please note: For early closing days, the corresponding closing points in Taiwan/Beijing time will also be advanced accordingly. For example, during daylight saving time, regular trading will end at 02:00 the next day in Beijing time, rather than the usual 05:00.

Actionable Advice for Cross-Market Investors

1. Confirm Calendar in Advance: Before planning any major trades (whether in U.S. stocks or crypto assets), be sure to check the official market calendar for the year. Mark the market closure dates in 2025 mentioned in this article on your schedule.
2. Managing event risk: On significant event days like election days, consider reducing leverage, setting wider stop-loss orders, or using algorithmic trading tools like VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price) to smooth entry costs in response to potentially surging fluctuations and thinning liquidity.
3. Follow cross-market signals: Utilize global platforms like Gate while monitoring traditional stock market indices (such as S&P 500 futures) and the price charts of mainstream crypto assets. During significant events, the severe fluctuations in one market often quickly transmit to another market.
4. Decentralized Decision Time: Avoid making large, single transactions during a short period on election day or just before and after major news releases. Consider spreading orders across multiple time periods before and after events to average out “event risk”.

In summary, the U.S. stock market remains open on election day, but this is precisely the beginning of challenges rather than the end. For savvy investors, especially those active in innovative trading platforms like Gate, understanding this fact is just the first step. More importantly, it is crucial to recognize the profound fluctuations and uncertainties triggered by significant political events in an open market and to develop comprehensive trading and risk management strategies accordingly. In financial markets, timing is everything, and information is power.