The Damascus Securities Exchange (DSE) () is a

stock exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for ...

located in

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. Founded in 2009, it is the only stock exchange in Syria. The Damascus Securities Exchange is a member of the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges. It started with its premises in the Barzeh district. On 10 May 2022, it moved to the business district of Yaafour.

History

Decree No. (55) (Securities Market Law)

On 1 October 2006, Syrian President

Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator Sources characterising Assad as a dictator: who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...

issued Decree No. (55) (Securities Market Law) ("the Decree"), providing for the establishment of a

stock market A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks (also called shares), which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include ''securities'' listed on a public stock exchange a ...

in Syria. The market was to be known as the DSE. This decree stipulated that the market be self-financed, provided that it covers Government deficits. The Decree also provides for the opportunity to convert the market into a

joint stock company A joint-stock company (JSC) is a business entity in which shares of the company's capital stock, stock can be bought and sold by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion, evidenced by their share (finance), shares (certifi ...

. The DSE was to be ran by a board of directors consisting of 9 members. The

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

was to appoint these members based on recommendations provided by the Syrian Commission on Financial Market & Securities.

Official opening

The first official trades on the DSE were launched on 10 March 2009.

Syrian war

According to the

International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution funded by 191 member countries, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is regarded as the global lender of las ...

(IMF), between March 2011 when the uprising began, and May 2012, the value of the

Syrian pound The Syrian pound or lira (; abbreviation: LS or SP in Latin alphabet, Latin, ل.س in Arabic script, Arabic, historically also Pound sign, £S, and £Syr; ISO 4217, ISO code: SYP) is the currency of Syria. It is issued by the Central Bank of S ...

had fallen 45 percent and the Damascus stock exchange decreased 40 percent.

Damascus Securities Exchange closing and reopening (December 2024 - June 2025)

On 8 December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed during a major offensive by opposition forces. The stock exchange was closed during the days leading up to the collapse. On 2 June 2025, the stock exchange reopened following a six-month closure. Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh attended the reopening of the market and noted that the exchange “will operate as a private company and serve as a genuine hub for Syria’s economic development, with a strong focus on digital,” The move to reopen the market also comes as international restrictions on Syria's financial systems begin to ease in light of the United States and European nations announcing the lifting of sanctions that were applied to the system under the al-Assad dynasty’s rule.

References

External links

Damascus Securities Exchange Website
{{coord missing, Pakistan Damascus Stock exchanges in Asia Economy of Syria Buildings and structures in Damascus 2009 establishments in Syria Stock exchanges in the Middle East