What was the name of the 1720 French speculative bubble that collapsed after John Law's bank failed?

The Mississippi Bubble was the 1720 French speculative bubble that collapsed after John Law's bank failed.

The bubble centered on the Mississippi Company, which held a monopoly over French trade with parts of North America. Scottish financier John Law controlled the company and also managed the Banque Générale, later renamed the Banque Royale. Law promoted company shares while expanding the paper-money supply, helping drive prices far above underlying expectations.

Shares attracted intense speculation in Paris, especially around the rue Quincampoix. In 1720, confidence weakened as investors sought to convert paper claims into hard money. The bank could not support the volume of notes, and the share price collapsed. Law fled France, and the financial system suffered a major loss of credibility.

The Mississippi Bubble is often discussed alongside Britain's South Sea Bubble, which also burst in 1720. They were separate schemes in different countries, although both reflected the era's enthusiasm for company monopolies, paper finance, and speculative trading. The French episode helped shape later suspicion of paper currency and central banking.