NASDAQ
The world's second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization, known for listing technology and growth companies.
What is NASDAQ?
NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is a fully electronic stock exchange founded in 1971 that is home to many of the world's largest technology and growth companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. Unlike the NYSE, NASDAQ has no physical trading floor — all transactions are executed electronically through a network of market makers. It operates three market tiers: the NASDAQ Global Select Market (highest standards), the NASDAQ Global Market, and the NASDAQ Capital Market. The NASDAQ Composite and NASDAQ-100 indices track its listed companies, with the NASDAQ-100 serving as a benchmark for large-cap technology stocks.
Example
When Microsoft went public in 1986, it chose NASDAQ because the exchange was already attracting fast-growing technology companies. Today, NASDAQ-listed companies account for roughly 40% of total US stock market value, reflecting the dominance of tech in the modern economy.
Source: Investopedia — NASDAQ