# Australian Securities Exchange > public company that operates Australia's primary securities exchange **Wikidata**: [Q732670](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q732670) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Securities_Exchange) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/australian-securities-exchange ## Summary The Australian Securities Exchange, commonly known as ASX, is a public company that operates as Australia's primary securities exchange, providing a marketplace for trading stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments. ## Key Facts - Founded on April 1, 1987 - Headquartered in Sydney, Australia - Operates under the legal structure of a public company - Functions as a stock exchange for brokers and traders - Trades exclusively in Australian dollars - Official website: https://www.asx.com.au/ - Formerly known as "Australian Stock Exchange" until 2006 ## FAQs Q: What is the Australian Securities Exchange? A: The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) is the primary securities exchange in Australia, operated as a public company and facilitating trading of securities like stocks and bonds. Q: Where is the ASX located? A: The ASX is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, the capital city of New South Wales. Q: When was the ASX established? A: The ASX was established on April 1, 1987, and rebranded from its former name "Australian Stock Exchange" in 2006. Q: What currency does the ASX use? A: The ASX operates exclusively in Australian dollars, which is also the official currency of Australia. Q: Is the ASX publicly traded? A: Yes, the ASX itself is a public company that offers its securities for sale to the general public. ## Why It Matters The Australian Securities Exchange serves as the cornerstone of Australia's capital markets, enabling companies to raise capital and investors to trade securities efficiently. By providing regulated trading infrastructure and liquidity, it underpins economic growth and financial stability in Australia. Its role in facilitating market access for domestic and international firms makes it instrumental in shaping Australia's economic landscape and attracting global investment. ## Notable For - Being Australia's sole primary securities exchange - Operating as a public company since its establishment - The only exchange handling transactions in Australian dollars - Pioneering the transition from "Australian Stock Exchange" to "Australian Securities Exchange" in 2006 - Housing critical benchmark indices like the S&P/ASX 200 and S&P/ASX 50 ## Body ### History and Structure The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) was established on April 1, 1987, in Sydney, Australia. It operates as a public company, meaning it offers its securities to the general public for investment. Prior to 2006, the entity was known as the Australian Stock Exchange, reflecting its historical evolution and rebranding. The ASX functions as a stock exchange, providing essential services for stock brokers and traders to execute securities transactions. ### Operational Framework The ASX operates under multiple classifications: it is formally recognized as a stock exchange, public company, business, and enterprise. Its core business involves delivering financial services – economic services provided by the finance industry. All trading activities on the ASX are conducted in Australian dollars, which is the official currency of Australia and also legally used in Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu. ### Strategic Location Headquartered in Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, the ASX benefits from Australia's position as a major financial hub in Oceania. This location situates it within Australia's broader economic ecosystem, where it facilitates securities trading and capital formation for the nation's publicly listed companies. ### Market Indices The ASX hosts several key stock market indices that serve as benchmarks for Australian equities. Notable indices include: - S&P/ASX 200: A major Australian stock market index - S&P/ASX 50: Another significant Australian stock market index These indices track the performance of top Australian companies listed on the exchange, providing crucial market reference points for investors. ### Economic Role As Australia's primary securities exchange, the ASX plays a pivotal role in the country's economy by: - Enabling companies to access capital through public offerings - Providing liquidity for investors trading securities - Facilitating price discovery for stocks and bonds - Supporting Australian dollar-based transactions This infrastructure underpins financial stability and corporate growth across various sectors, from mining and banking to technology and retail. ## References 1. Market Identifier Code 2. [Source](https://www2.asx.com.au/markets/trade-our-cash-market/directory) 3. [Source](https://www2.asx.com.au/about/contact-asx) 4. [Source](https://www2.asx.com.au/about/our-board-and-management) 5. [Source](https://www.asx.com.au/about/our-board-and-management/our-executive-team#:~:text=Helen%20Lofthouse%20commenced%20as%20ASX's,Executive%20Officer%20in%20August%202022.) 6. Open ISNI for Organizations 7. Virtual International Authority File 8. Library of Congress 9. Australian Bibliographic Network 10. [Source](https://www.asx.com.au/asx/share-price-research/company/ASX) 11. [Source](https://app.swaggerhub.com/apis-docs/Crunchbase/crunchbase-enterprise_api/1.0.3#/Ipo) 12. [Source](https://stockmarketmba.com/globalstockexchanges.php) 13. [Source](https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN2310.html) 14. [Source](https://www2.asx.com.au/about/asx-story) 15. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 16. Google Knowledge Graph 17. International Securities Identification Number 18. Trove 19. OpenCorporates 20. [Source](https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?abn=98008624691) 21. X 22. Crunchbase 23. YouTube 24. Quora 25. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions 26. [Current details for ABN 98 008 624 691 | ABN Lookup](https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?abn=98008624691) 27. autonomous system number 28. LinkedIn 29. YouTube API 30. Wikirate