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The 11 Largest Stock Exchanges in The World (Update: June 2023)

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Do you know which are the Top Largest Stock Exchanges in The World?

Have you ever wondered what the largest stock exchanges in the world are? If yes, read on. Because here, we will list the top 11 of them.

For your info, a stock exchange is a market for traders and stockbrokers to sell and purchase securities. These include stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and so on. During a stock exchange’s time of operation each day, the entire market sees lots of activity.

For a huge number of individuals worldwide, the stock market is the chief source for earning their livelihood. Hence, a nation’s financial well-being is reliant to a considerable extent on the stock exchanges.

stock exchange

Currently, there are sixty stock exchanges in the world with most of them having lots of listed companies. Being electronically operated, these stock exchanges provide platforms to different corporations across the globe that enable the common public to invest in them.

One can find companies belonging to various sectors on these stock exchanges. In this article, we will talk about the top 11 largest stock exchanges in the world.

List of the largest stock exchanges in the world today

List of the largest stock exchange

As we mentioned already, there are sixty functional stock exchanges around the world. Below, we will take a look at the top 11 among them based on their market capitalization.

11. SIX Swiss Exchange, Switzerland

Largest Stock Exchanges

Established in the year 1850, the SIX Swiss Exchange (XSWX) is the primary stock exchange in Switzerland. It was once known as the SWX Swiss Exchange before getting its current name. At the time of publication, XSWX provides trading in stocks, a number of selected derivative products, and government bonds.

XSWX has around 264 stocks listed on it, boasting many big names such as ABB Ltd., The Adecco Group, Alcon, Credit Suisse Group, Holcim, etc. Also, it presently has an impressive market cap of 2.22 billion USD. Besides, the SIX Swiss Exchange has an average monthly trading volume of 77 billion USD.

The main stock index of the SIX Swiss Exchange is the Swiss Market Index (SMI). For your information, SMI consists of the 20 paramount and most liquid companies on XSWX. Apart from that, there are multiple other indices on SSE. These include the Swiss Leader Index (SLI), Swiss Performance Index (SPI), UBS 100, SPI Extra, SMI MID, SMI Expanded, Swiss All Share Index TR, and so on.

10. Bombay Stock Exchange, India

Founded in 1875 during British colonial rule, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is one of the oldest Asian stock exchanges. Plus, it is the largest stock market in the Indian subcontinent. At present, the Bombay Stock Exchange has a market cap of 3.5 trillion USD.

Although BSE has the highest number of listed companies, i.e., 5500+, a majority of these are small-scale. However, there are numerous blue-chip companies listed on this exchange too. These include HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, Infosys, etc.

The foremost index on BSE is S&P BSE SENSEX. It is the most tracked index in the country.

9. Toronto Stock Exchange, Canada 

Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) is a subsidiary of the TMX Group Limited – a financial services company based in Toronto, Canada. Established in 1861, this Canadian stock market presently has a market cap of 3.1 trillion USD.

Besides that, it has more than 2,200 listed companies, including big names, such as Suncor Energy, Royal Bank of Canada, Fortis, and more. Its average monthly trading volume is about 97 billion U.S. Dollars.

It seems that Toronto Stock Exchange has a preference for O&G and mining companies. This is evident in the fact that TSX surpasses all other stock exchanges worldwide as regards the number of such listed companies. ETFs, bonds, equities, investment trusts, etc., are among the financial instruments trading on the exchange.

The chief index of TSX is S&P/TSX 60. Another common index is the TSX Composite Index, accounting for nearly 70% of the total market cap of this exchange.

8. London Stock Exchange, United Kingdom 

Established in 1801, London Stock Exchange (LSE) is one of the oldest and largest stock exchanges in the world. For your info, the London Stock Exchange Group – a merged entity comprising LSE and Borsa Italiana – owns and administers the stock market. LSE was a trailblazer in this field, as it was the first exchange to set up European standard price, market, and liquidity data. London Stock Exchange boasts around 3,000 companies with a total market cap of 4.13 trillion U.S. Dollars.

LSE is known for its two separate types of markets. The first type is the main market where more than 300 big companies from around the world are listed. The second, on the other hand, is known as the Alternative Investment Market, which provides a platform for small companies. Some of the leading companies trading on this exchange are GlaxoSmithKline, Barclays, British Petroleum, and so on.

The chief index on London Stock Exchange is the Financial Times and London Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 index. Apart from that, there are several other indices on LSE, such as FTSE 250, FTSE 350, FTSE All-Share index, etc.

7. Shenzhen Stock Exchange, China 

Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) was founded in the year 1990 and currently ranks among the largest stock exchanges in the world. With a market capitalization of 5.24 trillion U.S. Dollars, SZSE is the second biggest stock market in the People’s Republic of China, right after Shanghai Stock Exchange. Also, it is one of the three independent stock exchanges in the PRC, along with Shanghai Stock Exchange and Beijing Stock Exchange.

As of now, there are 1,900 listed companies on SZSE. A majority of these companies are Chinese companies. These are BOE Technology, Ping An Bank, TCL Corporation, etc. So, they trade in the local Yuan currency.

Shenzhen Stock Exchange offers a trading platform for two different types of shares. The ‘A’ share is for local investors trading in local currency, and the ‘B’ share is for foreign investors trading in U.S. Dollars.

Although SZSE is a self-regulating body, China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) reserves the right to intervene in case of volatility arises. For example, the commission can suspend all trading for a particular day if they feel that some event might negatively affect stocks.

Common indices on Shenzhen Stock Exchange include SZSE Component Index, SZSE 100, etc.

6. Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan 

Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) came into being back in 1898 and earned the reputation of a top stock exchange worldwide. Tokyo Stock Exchange is also known as Tosho and TYO. As an aftermath of World War II, TSE stopped functioning for four years. However, the year 1949 saw its reemergence, and it has been active ever since. While the real estate and stock price inflation in Japan reached a crisis in the 90s, causing TSE to crash, it got back up again and kept growing.

At present, Tokyo Stock Exchange currently has a market capitalization of 5.67 trillion USD and over 3,500 companies listed on it. Japanese top guns and global household brands like Sony, Suzuki, Toyota, Honda, etc., are among those companies.

This exchange has two distinct sections for two different types of companies – one is for large companies, and the other is for medium companies. Plus, the compliance and market surveillance that TSE offers are among the key reasons behind its popularity.

Two of the foremost indices on TSE are Tokyo Price Index (TOPIX) and Nikkei 225.

5. Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hong Kong 

Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) ranks among the largest stock exchanges in the world and is the third biggest Asian exchange. Founded in 1891, HKEX has a reputation as a major global financial hub. Its present market capitalization is 43.64 trillion U.S. Dollars.

Plus, it has more than 2,200 listed companies, among which 50% are from Mainland China. These companies comprise some of the biggest companies today, including Bank of China, China Mobile, PetroChina, Tencent Holdings, etc.

In case you were unaware, Hong Kong Stock Exchange is nearly as huge as Shanghai Stock Exchange. And, if maintains its steady development and growth, it can even outshine SSE in the coming days. What attracts investors most towards HKEX is the fact that even industry hotshots can trade at less than 4 HKD per share here. Also, if the price witnesses a fall below HKD 0.5, only then the exchange classifies penny stocks.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s chief index is the Hang Seng Index which forms nearly 58% of the total market cap of HKEX.

4. European New Exchange Technology, Netherlands 

largest stock exchanges in the world

European New Exchange Technology (EURONEXT) is a multi-state stock exchange that operates exchanges in many places. These are Amsterdam, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Milan, Oslo, Brussels, and Paris. Established in 2000, EURONEXT is regarded as the best stock exchange in all of Europe.

Currently, EURONEXT has a market cap of 6.65 trillion USD and has over 1,300 companies listed on the exchange. Procter & Gamble, Merck & Co., LVMH, Octopus Biosafety, Drone Volt, IDS France SAS, etc., are some of those companies.

The blue-chip EURONEXT 100 is EURONEXT’s foremost index that has the biggest and most liquid 100 stocks out there. 65% of EURONEXT 100 are French companies. Apart from that, other indices on the exchange include AEX-INDEX, OBX 25, BEL 20, and so on.

The top 3 Largest Stock Exchanges are below

3. Shanghai Stock Exchange, China 

largest stock exchange in the world

Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is the third biggest stock exchange in the world today and the largest in Asia. At present, SSE has a market capitalization of 6.87 trillion U.S. Dollars with 1,500+ listed companies, including China Construction Bank, PetroChina, Sinopec, Air China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, etc. Note that although SSE is the third largest stock market today, its market cap is less than a third of the NYSE and NASDAQ’s market cap.

FYI, this stock exchange came into being back in 1891 as the Shanghai Stock and Sharebrokers Association and got its name Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1904 after applying for company registration in Hong Kong. In 1909, another Stockbrokers Association was established in Shanghai’s International Settlement. Both of these organizations merged to give birth to what we know today as the Shanghai Stock Exchange. However, the Japanese Invasion and the subsequent Chinese Revolution caused SSE to stop its operations until 1990 when it was reestablished.

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Interestingly, every share on SSE comes with either a ‘Class A’ or a ‘Class B’ classification. The former type of shares are only available for domestic investors, barring those eligible for the foreign investment scheme, and are priced in Yuan. And the latter is for both foreign and domestic investor and are priced in U.S. Dollars.

SSE Composite Index, SSE 50 Index, SSE 180 Index, etc., are the most common indices on Shanghai Stock Exchange.

2. National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, USA

Top largest stock exchanges

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) is the second largest stock exchange in the world at the moment. At present, it has a market cap of 28.28 billion USD. Established in 1971, NASDAQ is the first-ever electronically traded stock exchange.

Currently, there are more than 3,000 companies listed on this stock market, including industry top guns like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Meta, and so on. In case you didn’t know, all four companies, except Meta, have a market cap of 1 trillion USD. However, Meta is quickly going that way. It has an average trading volume of 1.26 USD per month.

Also, while the technological giants listed on NASDAQ contribute 9% of the total global market value, there are no listed companies belonging to the gas, oil, or utility sectors. The major companies listed on this stock exchange all come from the technology, consumer services, and healthcare sectors.

NASDAQ comprises indices like NASDAQ 100, NASDAQ Non-Financial, NASDAQ Composite Index, etc.

1. New York Stock Exchange, USA 

Top largest stock exchange

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the biggest stock exchange on the globe today. As of now, it has a market capitalization of 26.2 trillion USD with a listing of over 2,400 companies. These companies are pretty diverse and even have numerous blue-chip companies, such as Berkshire Hathaway, and Johnson & Johnson, etc., among them.

Besides being the largest, NYSE is also one of the oldest stock exchanges in the world. NYSE came into being back in 1792 and has been active ever since. This stock exchange has an average trading volume of 2-6 billion shares. So, it is capable of influencing other stock market indices as a consequence of high trading volumes across various countries.

The New York Stock Exchange starts its functions at 9:30 am and closes at 4 pm ET. Trading occurring here each day affects all the trading of other stock exchanges worldwide the following day. Hence, traders from around the world keep their eyes glued to what happens on NSYE, making it this popular.

The most common indices on the New York Stock Exchange include DJIA, S&P 500, etc.

Conclusion of the largest stock exchanges in the world

Conclusion of the largest stock exchange

As you can see, the largest stock exchanges in the world have contributed a lot to wealth generation across the globe. If they continue with their growth, companies will grow too and would be able to hire more people, creating more job opportunities. This, in turn, can improve the economic well-being of nations and their citizens. What a win-win situation!

Topic Summary

Here is a quick list of The 11 Largest Stock Exchanges in the World.

  1. New York Stock Exchange, USA
  2. National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, United States
  3. Shanghai Stock Exchange, China
  4. European New Exchange Technology, Netherlands
  5. Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hong Kong
  6. Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan
  7. Shenzhen Stock Exchange, China
  8. London Stock Exchange, United Kingdom
  9. Toronto Stock Exchange, Canada
  10. Bombay Stock Exchange, India
  11. SIX Swiss Exchange, Switzerland

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Hi, I am Indrajit Das. A freelance content writer from Kolkata, India, who has written for many popular websites and is passionate about the art of content writing. When not writing, one might find him turning the pages and voraciously devouring one of his favorite books.

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