What was the name of the British joint-stock company at the center of the 1720 South Sea Bubble?

The South Sea Company was the British joint-stock company at the center of the 1720 South Sea Bubble.

Founded in 1711, the company received a government-backed monopoly over trade with Spanish South America, although its realistic trading opportunities were far smaller than many investors imagined. It also took on part of Britain's government debt, helping its shares gain political and financial importance.

In 1720, promoters and speculators drove the share price dramatically higher. Investors included aristocrats, professionals, and ordinary savers. As confidence broke, the price collapsed, ruining many shareholders and causing a political scandal in Britain.

The South Sea Bubble was part of a wider European speculative episode. France's Mississippi Company experienced a related collapse, and public concern about stock promotion led Parliament to pass the Bubble Act in 1720. The episode remains a classic example of financial speculation reinforced by unrealistic expectations.