• The stock and commodity exchange in Romania began trading on December 1, 1882, pursuant to a High Royal Decree issued by King Carol I. After the communist regime took hold, the stock exchange was closed in 1948.
• The stock exchange was reinstated in 1995, its first trading session taking place on November 20, 1995, when only six companies were listed. Currently, there are 376 companies listed on the stock exchange.
• Over time, the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) has demonstrated that it has successfully fulfilled its crucial role of financing the Romanian economy and, on December 15 this year, as part of an anniversary event, will celebrate 140 years since Romania’s first stock exchange was founded. The anniversary event is held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.

The Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), a fundamental institution for the capital market, is celebrating 140 years since the founding of Romania’s first stock exchange. On December 1, 1882, the stock and commodity exchange began trading in Romania following a High Royal Decree issued by King Carol I. The Romanian capital market has evolved in close alignment with the local economy, seeing both periods of accelerated development and economic crises specific to the various phases. After the communist regime took hold, the Stock exchange was closed in 1948. The Stock exchange was reinstated in 1995, its first trading session taking place on November 20, 1995, when only six companies were listed. By the end of 1995, there were nine.

In 2022, after the first ten months of the year, there are 376 companies listed on the BVB, 83 of which are on the Regulated Market and 293 are on the Multilateral Trading System (MTS). This year, as of 1 November, there have been 210 trading sessions, amounting to 1.43 million transactions using all types of financial instruments. The total value of transactions made on the Regulated Market and MTS in the first 10 months of 2022 using all types of financial instruments is around RON 19 billion, the equivalent of EUR 3.8 billion.

In 2020, the development of Romania’s capital market was recognized internationally by the global index provider FTSE Russell and, accordingly, Romania was upgraded to Emerging Market status. Currently, there are 13 Romanian companies included in Emerging Market indices, one of which is the issuer BVB, a company listed on its own market since 2010.

The capital market has become increasingly representative for the Romanian economy. According to the National Institute for Statistics, Romania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021 was RON 1,182 billion. BVB data for the same year show that Romanian companies have a market value of over RON 160 billion: RON 141 billion for companies on the Regulated Market and around RON 20 billion for companies on the Multilateral Trading System. The capitalization of Romanian companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange thus constituted 13.6% of Romania’s GDP.

Over time, the Bucharest Stock Exchange has demonstrated that it has successfully fulfilled its crucial role of financing the Romanian economy and, on 15 December this year, will mark the 140th anniversary of the founding of Romania’s first stock exchange on 1 December 1882. The anniversary event is held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.

President of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, Radu Hanga, said: “Over these 140 years we have overcome many challenges to become what we are today: a fundamental institution for the capital market, established on modern foundations, and developing as an efficient financing platform for connecting the capital with the ideas. We continue the fundamental mission of the stock exchange – to ensure that Romanian companies have access to capital and connect them with the investor community – and our success is essential for the development of Romania’s economy. Our priority for the near future, in partnership with the Romanian Government and the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), is to implement the Capital Market Development Strategy, because only a strong stock exchange can support a strong economy.”

CEO of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, Adrian Tanase, said: “This moment, in which we are celebrating 140 years since the opening of the first stock exchange in Romania, is a recognition of the importance that the stock exchange has acquired in our national economy. We look with respect at the past, with confidence in the projects we are running in the present, and with optimism to the future. We are developing a modern and digitalized stock exchange, always looking for better technological solutions to facilitate access to the capital market, and our excellent collaboration with market participants and the investor community is an important element in widening the access of local companies to the financing opportunities the capital market offers. The excellent dialogue we have with state authorities – the Presidency, Government, Parliament, Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) and National Bank of Romania (BNR) – is also essential for the present and future success of the Romanian capital market.”

To celebrate 140 years since the founding of Romania’s first stock exchange, the Bucharest Stock Exchange is organizing an official event on December 15, dedicated to this anniversary. The event will take place at the Palace of Parliament, from 10 a.m. In the first part of the event, there will be opening remarks from representatives of the Romanian state – the Presidential Administration, the Government of Romania, the Romanian Parliament, and key institutions of the local capital market and international organizations. The preliminary agenda of the event is available here.

This is a press release.