Amsterdam Stock Exchange

About Amsterdam Stock Exchange

The worlds first official stock exchange, established by the Dutch East India Company in 1602. The VOC was the first company to issue tradable shares to the public. Investors could buy and sell shares on the Amsterdam Beurs. The exchange allowed the Dutch to fund voyages to Asia that were too expensive for any single investor. The model spread to London, Paris, and New York. The concept of joint stock companies and public trading of shares began here. The Amsterdam exchange also pioneered futures, options, and short selling, sometimes called windhandel or wind trade.