The New York Stock Exchange was founded in 1792.
Its founding is conventionally dated to May 17, 1792, when 24 New York brokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement. The agreement set trading rules, including preferential dealing among the signers and a minimum commission, creating a more organized securities market.
The brokers signed outside 68 Wall Street, traditionally associated with a buttonwood tree. Early trading involved government securities from the Revolutionary War era, First Bank of the United States stock, and Bank of New York shares.
The NYSE later developed through several names, locations, and organizational changes before becoming the institution recognized today. The year 1792 refers to the exchange’s historical origin, not the construction date of its famous building: the main building at 18 Broad Street was completed in 1903.