Which company was central to John Law's Mississippi Bubble in France, which burst in 1720?

The Mississippi Company was central to John Law’s Mississippi Bubble in France, which burst in 1720.

The company controlled a government-supported monopoly over French trade and colonization in the Mississippi region. John Law, a Scottish financier who became influential in France, linked the company to a broader scheme involving paper money and the consolidation of government debt.

Speculation pushed the company’s share price dramatically higher in 1719 and early 1720. Confidence then collapsed when investors tried to convert paper wealth into more stable assets, causing a run and a steep fall in the shares.

The Mississippi Bubble and Britain’s South Sea Bubble happened in the same year but involved different companies and political systems. Their simultaneous collapse made 1720 a landmark year in the history of financial speculation.