Nasdaq is the stock exchange launched in 1971 as the world's first electronic stock market.
The name originally referred to the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations system. It began on February 8, 1971, providing computerized price quotations rather than relying on a traditional physical trading floor. Its early role was primarily an electronic quotation system for over-the-counter securities.
Nasdaq later developed into a major exchange with electronic trading and listing standards. It became especially associated with technology and growth companies, although companies from many industries are listed there. Nasdaq is also used as the name of several market indexes, including the Nasdaq Composite, so the exchange and the indexes should not be confused. The New York Stock Exchange, by contrast, was founded much earlier and historically centered on floor-based trading.