NASDAQ

The NASDAQ (originally an acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is an American securities exchange and global financial technology company that operates one of the world's largest electronic stock exchanges. Launched on 8 February 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), Nasdaq became the world's first fully electronic stock market, replacing traditional floor-based trading with an automated quotation and trading system. Headquartered in New York City, the exchange is operated by Nasdaq, Inc. and provides trading services for equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, fixed-income products, and other financial instruments. It is regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is recognized as one of the principal securities exchanges in the United States.

Nasdaq lists thousands of domestic and international companies spanning sectors such as technology, biotechnology, healthcare, financial services, consumer goods, telecommunications, industrials, and renewable energy. The exchange is particularly associated with technology and innovation-driven companies and is home to many of the world's largest publicly traded corporations. Nasdaq operates multiple equity markets, including the Nasdaq Global Select Market', Nasdaq Global Market, and Nasdaq Capital Market, each serving companies with different listing standards and market capitalizations. It also maintains several widely followed stock market indices, including the NASDAQ Composite, the NASDAQ-100, and numerous sectoral and thematic benchmarks used by investors worldwide.

In addition to operating securities exchanges, Nasdaq provides a broad range of financial technology and market infrastructure services. These include market surveillance, trading technology, clearing and settlement solutions, corporate services, investor relations platforms, market data, index licensing, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting solutions, digital governance tools, and anti-financial crime technologies. Through its acquisitions and international expansion, Nasdaq has become a global provider of exchange technology, supporting stock exchanges, clearing organizations, central securities depositories, and financial institutions across multiple jurisdictions.

Nasdaq works closely with institutions including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), the Federal Reserve System, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Internationally, it collaborates with organizations such as the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), and securities regulators and exchanges worldwide. Through securities trading, financial technology, market infrastructure, and global exchange services, Nasdaq plays a central role in the operation and development of international capital markets.