History of Nasdaq in Timeline

The Nasdaq Stock Market is an American stock exchange located in New York City. It's the second-largest globally by market capitalization and operates as the world's first fully electronic stock market. Nasdaq is one of the most active stock trading venues in the U.S.

February 8, 1971: Nasdaq Stock Market Commences Operations

On February 8, 1971, the Nasdaq Stock Market began operating as the world's first fully electronic stock market. Initially, it functioned as a quotation system, not a trading platform. Intel Corporation was among the first major companies to list its shares on Nasdaq.

1981: Nasdaq traded 37% of the U.S. securities markets' total

In 1981, Nasdaq traded 37% of the U.S. securities markets' total of 21 billion shares.

1987: Nasdaq Still Referred to as 'OTC'

As late as 1987, the Nasdaq exchange was still commonly referred to as 'OTC' in media reports and in publications by Standard & Poor's Corporation.

1991: Nasdaq accounted for approximately 46% of U.S. securities trading volume

By 1991, Nasdaq accounted for approximately 46% of U.S. securities trading volume.

1992: Nasdaq Stock Market joined with the London Stock Exchange

In 1992, the Nasdaq Stock Market joined with the London Stock Exchange to form the first intercontinental linkage of capital markets.

1996: SEC Alleges Nasdaq Market Makers Fixed Prices

In 1996, the SEC issued a report alleging that Nasdaq market makers fixed prices by avoiding "odd-eighths" quotes to artificially widen spreads, leading to new rules for order handling.

1998: Nasdaq Becomes First U.S. Stock Market to Trade Online

In 1998, Nasdaq became the first stock market in the United States to trade online, using the slogan "the stock market for the next hundred years", and attracted many companies during the dot-com bubble.

2000: FINRA Sells Stake in Nasdaq

In a series of sales in 2000, FINRA began selling its stake in Nasdaq.

2001: Nasdaq Purchases EASDAQ and Becomes Nasdaq Europe

In 2001, Nasdaq purchased the European Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (EASDAQ), rebranding it as Nasdaq Europe.

2001: FINRA Sells Stake in Nasdaq

In a series of sales in 2001, FINRA continued selling its stake in the Nasdaq.

July 2, 2002: Nasdaq, Inc. Becomes a Public Company

On July 2, 2002, Nasdaq, Inc. became a public company through an initial public offering, listing its shares on the exchange under the ticker symbol NDAQ.

2003: Nasdaq Europe Operations Shut Down

In 2003, Nasdaq Europe's operations were shut down due to the dot-com bubble burst.

December 2005: Nasdaq Acquires Instinet

In December 2005, Nasdaq acquired Instinet for $1.9 billion, retaining the Inet ECN and later selling the agency brokerage business to Silver Lake Partners and Instinet management.

2006: Nasdaq Stock Market Becomes a Licensed National Securities Exchange

In 2006, the Nasdaq Stock Market's status changed from a stock market to a licensed national securities exchange.

November 7, 2007: Nasdaq Acquires Philadelphia Stock Exchange

On November 7, 2007, Nasdaq acquired the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, the oldest stock exchange in the U.S.

2007: Nasdaq Europe Revived as Equiduct

In 2007, Nasdaq Europe was revived first as Equiduct and later acquired by Börse Berlin that year.

2007: Nasdaq Merges with OMX

In 2007, Nasdaq merged with OMX, a leading exchange operator in the Nordic countries, expanding its global footprint and changing its name to the Nasdaq OMX Group.

2011: Nasdaq and Intercontinental Exchange Launch Rival Bid for NYSE Euronext

In 2011, after the announced merger of NYSE Euronext with Deutsche Börse, Nasdaq partnered with Intercontinental Exchange to launch a rival bid, which was later withdrawn due to regulatory concerns.

June 18, 2012: Nasdaq OMX Becomes Founding Member of UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative

On June 18, 2012, Nasdaq OMX became a founding member of the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative on the eve of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

November 2016: Adena Friedman Promoted to CEO of Nasdaq

In November 2016, Adena Friedman was promoted to chief executive officer of Nasdaq, becoming the first woman to hold that position at a major U.S. exchange.

2016: Listings-Related Activities Accounted for $272 Million in Nasdaq's Revenue

In 2016, listings-related activities accounted for $272 million in Nasdaq's revenue.

October 2018: SEC Blocks NYSE and Nasdaq from Raising Market-Data Prices

In October 2018, the SEC blocked the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq from raising certain market-data prices, marking the first time the commission rejected increases for the exchanges' stock market data feeds.

December 2019: Nasdaq Creates Sustainable Bond Network

In December 2019, Nasdaq created the Sustainable Bond Network, an online platform designed to increase transparency for green, social, and sustainability bonds.

December 2020: Nasdaq to Remove Shares of Four Chinese Companies from Indexes

In December 2020, Nasdaq announced it would remove shares of four Chinese companies from indexes it maintains in accordance with Executive Order 13959.

June 2021: Nasdaq Takes Majority Stake in Puro.earth

In June 2021, Nasdaq acquired a majority stake in Puro.earth, a carbon-removal marketplace, expanding its presence in voluntary carbon removal markets.

September 2024: European Commission Inspects Nasdaq Offices

In September 2024, the European Commission conducted an unannounced inspection at Nasdaq's offices to investigate potential anti-competitive practices.

October 2024: Nasdaq Announces Updates to Calypso Platform

In October 2024, Nasdaq announced updates to its Calypso platform, including the introduction of XVA Accelerator, a tool for portfolio risk calculations.

December 31, 2024: 4,075 companies listed securities on Nasdaq

As of December 31, 2024, a total of 4,075 companies had their securities listed on Nasdaq. This includes 1,383 listings on The Nasdaq Global Select Market, 1,366 on The Nasdaq Global Market, and 1,326 on The Nasdaq Capital Market.

March 2025: Nasdaq Plans to Introduce 24/5 Trading

In March 2025, Nasdaq announced plans to introduce 24-hour, 5-day-a-week trading on its United States exchange, pending SEC approval.

May 2025: Nasdaq and AWS Announce Launch of Nasdaq Eqlipse Trading

In May 2025, Nasdaq and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the launch of Nasdaq Eqlipse Trading, a cloud-based platform adopted by exchanges including Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Mexico's Grupo BMV, and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

2026: Nasdaq Plans to Introduce 24/5 Trading

In 2026, Nasdaq plans to implement 24-hour, 5-day-a-week trading on its United States exchange in response to increased global demand for U.S. equities.