Happy 35th birthday, Shanghai Stock Exchange 🎂! On November 26, 2025, SSE celebrates three-and-a-half decades since its debut in 1990 as the first securities exchange approved in the Chinese mainland. What started with just 30 listings has exploded into a mega hub for equities, bonds, ETFs, REITs and the STAR Market.
Today, SSE hosts over 2,300 companies with a combined market capitalization topping 60 trillion yuan (around $8.5 trillion). Market capitalization is simply the total value of all shares in a company – think of it as the price tag on an entire business. ETFs (exchange-traded funds) let you buy a basket of stocks at once, while REITs pool money to invest in property projects like malls or offices.
Three milestones have fueled this growth:
- 2014: Launched Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect, opening A-shares to global investors via Hong Kong and boosting A-shares in major benchmarks like MSCI and FTSE.
- 2019: Rolled out the STAR Market, a registration-based IPO board for high-tech champs in semiconductors, AI and biotech – imagine China’s very own NASDAQ.
- 2019: Kicked off Shanghai–London Stock Connect, letting Chinese mainland and UK firms list depository receipts across borders for two-way investment flows.
For young pros in South and Southeast Asia, SSE’s journey shows the power of capital markets to drive tech innovation and global link-ups 🚀. Whether you’re tracking start-ups in Bengaluru or fintech in Jakarta, the SSE story proves that bold reforms can turn a local exchange into a world-class player. Here’s to the next 35 years! 🥂
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
