So Money with Farnoosh Torabi · Monday, August 31, 2026
Robin Wigglesworth traces the origins of the bond market back to 12th-century Venice, a bustling trade hub. The first bonds were issued to finance a war against the Byzantine Empire after a Venetian trading fleet was imprisoned.
“So Venice is an incredible city. I mean, we's famous, but it was kind of one of the first global trading hubs as it were.”
“And that's how the bond was born.”