Which U.S. stock exchange was founded in Philadelphia in 1790?

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was founded in Philadelphia in 1790.

It is the oldest stock exchange in the United States and began as an organization for trading securities in the early years of the American republic. Philadelphia was then a major financial and political center, making it a natural location for an organized securities market.

The exchange later became important in trading shares, bonds, and currencies. In 2008, Nasdaq acquired the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and renamed it Nasdaq OMX PHLX. It remains associated particularly with options trading rather than operating as an independent traditional equities exchange.

The exchange is often confused with the New York Stock Exchange because both are historic American markets. However, the Philadelphia exchange predates the NYSE’s 1792 Buttonwood Agreement by two years.