The Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX) was founded in 1602 as a physical location where financiers could meet to buy and sell shares of the Dutch East India Company. The exchange soon became a center for international finance and trade. In its early days, the exchange had no formal rules or regulations. Buyers and sellers would negotiate prices directly with each other, often verbally. Transactions were conducted in open rooms where anyone could watch and listen. This allowed for transparency in the market and helped to build trust between traders.As the Amsterdam Stock Exchange grew in importance, it began to adopt formal rules and procedures. In 1611, the first stock exchange code was established which regulated how shares could be traded and what information traders were required to disclose about their transactions.
