In stock-market history, which company issued the first publicly traded shares?

In stock-market history, the Dutch East India Company issued the first publicly traded shares.

The company, commonly known by its Dutch initials VOC, was established in 1602 by the States-General of the Dutch Republic. It raised capital by selling transferable shares to investors, helping finance long-distance trade and military operations in Asia. Shareholders could transfer their interests, creating an early form of a tradable equity market.

The VOC is often described as the first company to issue shares and bonds to the general public. Its Amsterdam share trading helped develop practices associated with modern securities markets, including organized secondary trading and published prices.

This history is sometimes confused with the first stock exchange or the first joint-stock company. Earlier partnerships and share-like arrangements existed, while the Amsterdam Stock Exchange developed as a major venue for trading VOC shares. The company itself was dissolved in 1799 after financial and political problems.