What is Dutch East India Company?

The Dutch East India Company was a trading megacorporation formed in the early 17th century for trading spices with India and, later, with Southeast Asia. The company is considered the first modern corporation due to its sophisticated structure and operations. It was also the first publicly held company and its shares were traded at the Amsterdam Exchange. At its peak, the company is estimated to have been worth USD 7.9 trillion when accounting for inflation.