BSE, formerly the Bombay Stock Exchange, is Asia's oldest stock exchange. It was founded on Dalal Street in Mumbai on 9 July 1875. It lists over 5,600 companies, more than any other exchange in India. It also publishes the Sensex, the 30-stock index that is the country's best-known market gauge. BSE Ltd is itself a listed company and joined the Nifty 50 at the end of September 2026.
BSE is one of India's two main stock exchanges, the other being the NSE. It started in 1875, when a group of brokers led by Premchand Roychand set up a formal body for the trading that had gone on under a banyan tree in south Mumbai. That makes it the oldest exchange in Asia. The building on Dalal Street still carries the name. "Dalal Street" now means the Indian stock market, the way "Wall Street" means the American one.
What trades on BSE
As of April 2026, BSE had 5,647 listed companies, far more than the NSE. Most of the extra names are small and mid-sized companies that list only on BSE. The exchange runs an equity cash market and a derivatives segment built around Sensex and Bankex contracts. It also has a platform for small companies, a mutual fund platform called BSE StAR MF, and debt and currency segments. Shares settle on T+1, the same as on the NSE.
The Sensex
BSE's flagship index is the Sensex, short for Sensitive Index. It tracks 30 of the largest and most traded stocks on the exchange, weighted by free-float market value. The base was set at 100 for the financial year 1978-79. The index crossed 21,000 in January 2008 and 50,000 in January 2021. It has traded above 80,000 since 2024. Its 30 members overlap heavily with the Nifty 50. That is why the two indices move almost in step. The differences between them are explained in Nifty 50 vs Sensex.
BSE versus NSE
The NSE launched in 1994 and offered screen-based trading before BSE did. Within a few years it had most of the volume, and today it handles the bulk of cash and derivatives turnover. BSE's strength is the breadth of its listings and, more recently, its derivatives segment. SEBI limited each exchange to one weekly index expiry in late 2024. Since then Sensex options have been the second-largest weekly contract in the country. The current expiry calendar and what it means for traders are covered in the NSE vs BSE expiry shake-up.
For an investor the practical difference is small. Most large companies are listed on both exchanges. A broker will route an order to whichever offers the better price. A stock that trades only on BSE can be thin, so limit orders matter more there.
BSE as a listed company
BSE turned from a brokers' association into a company in 2005. It listed its own shares on 3 February 2017. It could not list on itself, so BSE Ltd trades on the NSE. The stock joined the Nifty 50 on 30 September 2026 in place of Wipro. The details are in BSE to enter Nifty 50. The company earns from transaction charges, listing fees, data sales and its stake in the CDSL depository.
Why it matters to a trader
Three reasons. The Sensex gives a second liquid index to trade, with its own expiry day. Several hundred companies can only be bought on BSE. And BSE's announcements feed is where most companies file results, board decisions and shareholding data first. It is the primary source for anyone doing their own research.
FAQs
Is BSE older than the NSE?
Yes, by more than a century. BSE dates to 1875 and the NSE began trading in 1994.
Which is bigger, BSE or NSE?
BSE has more listed companies. The NSE has far higher trading volumes in both cash and derivatives.
Can the same share be bought on BSE and sold on NSE?
Yes, for delivery trades. Shares in a demat account are the same regardless of where they were bought. Intraday positions have to be closed on the exchange where they were opened.
What is the Sensex base year?
The financial year 1978-79, with a base value of 100.