Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)

History of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange :

In 1886, gold was discovered in the South African mountain range, Witwatersrand. The mining of this gold led to the development of financial institutions, which created the need for a stock exchange. Therefore, in 1887 Benjamin Woollan created the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The location of this exchange moved many times throughout the years as it grew, settling at its current location in 2000.

Many changes began to occur at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1995. Historically, only South African individual citizens were allowed to be stockbrokers on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. This rule was changed, allowing foreigners and corporations to trade on the exchange. The South African Institute of Stockbrokers was created to regulate all stockbrokers. In 1996, the JSE eliminated its open outcry system and closed its trading floor, converting to a fully electronic system. In 2003, the second division of stock listings, AltX was created to help small black-owned businesses list shares.

The exchange incorporated on July 1, 2005, but remains unlisted.