What is MESDAQ?

The Malaysian Exchange of Securities Dealing and Automated Quotation, also known as MESDAQ, was a securities market created in and operating in Malaysia. The market, which was launched in October 1997, was primarily focused on companies that were based in the technology sector.

Where have you heard about MESDAQ?

If you’ve ever dealt with or invested in Malaysian businesses, you may have come across MESDAQ. However, you may know it by its new name – in 2009 it was replaced with the ACE (Access, Certainty, Efficiency) Market and began to cater more for start-ups and new companies run by entrepeneurs.

What you need to know about MESDAQ.

MESDAQ, and now the ACE Market, are part of Bursa Malaysia, a publicly traded exchange holding company that was formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. When MESDAQ initially launched in 1997, experts – including the exchange chief at the time – offered warnings that it would take time to grow as the economy was still recovering after the Asian financial crisis. The experts were right; in June 2000 there was only one listing on the market. However, the market did expand to include companies such as Greenpacket, Jobstreet Corporation and Viztel, and the new ACE market has improved on this thanks to more relaxed listings rules.

Find out more about MESDAQ.

To better understand the role of MESDAQ, read about the exchange it took inspiration from – NASDAQ.