Listed domestic companies, total in South Africa
South Africa: Listed domestic companies, total was 212 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Listed domestic companies, total in South Africa, 1975–2025
Source: World Federation of Exchanges database, World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 212 for listed domestic companies, total in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, listed domestic companies, total in South Africa peaked at 754 in 1988 and was at its lowest, 212, in 2025.
That places South Africa 32nd out of 104 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Listed domestic companies, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 577 | — |
| 1976 | 545 | -5.5% |
| 1977 | 547 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 507 | -7.3% |
| 1979 | 491 | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 481 | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 475 | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 470 | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 464 | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 470 | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 462 | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 536 | +16.0% |
| 1987 | 734 | +36.9% |
| 1988 | 754 | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 736 | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 740 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 698 | -5.7% |
| 1992 | 642 | -8.0% |
| 1993 | 615 | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 600 | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 612 | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 599 | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 615 | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 650 | +5.7% |
| 1999 | 652 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 604 | -7.4% |
| 2001 | 510 | -15.6% |
| 2002 | 429 | -15.9% |
| 2003 | 390 | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 369 | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 348 | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 359 | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 374 | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 367 | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 353 | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 352 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 347 | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 338 | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 322 | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 322 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 316 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 303 | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 294 | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 289 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 274 | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 264 | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 252 | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 237 | -6.0% |
| 2023 | 224 | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 220 | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 212 | -3.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 212 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 131, 1.6× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 212 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27, 7.9× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Listed domestic companies, total in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +36.9% | 536 | 734 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 533.4 | 491 | 577 | 5 |
| 1980s | 558.2 | 462 | 754 | 10 |
| 1990s | 642.3 | 599 | 740 | 10 |
| 2000s | 410.3 | 348 | 604 | 10 |
| 2010s | 315.7 | 274 | 352 | 10 |
| 2020s | 234.83 | 212 | 264 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 10.08 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is listed domestic companies, total in South Africa?
- Listed domestic companies, total in South Africa was 212 in 2025, according to World Federation of Exchanges database, World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).
- What is the highest listed domestic companies, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 754 in 1988.
- What is the lowest listed domestic companies, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 212 in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for listed domestic companies, total?
- South Africa ranks 32nd out of 104 countries with data for 2025.
- Is listed domestic companies, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Federation of Exchanges database, World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), published as part of Listed domestic companies, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Listed domestic companies, including foreign companies which are exclusively listed, are those which have shares listed on an exchange at the end of the year. Investment funds, unit trusts, and companies whose only business goal is to hold shares of other listed companies, such as holding companies and investment companies, regardless of their legal status, are excluded. A company with several classes of shares is counted once. Only companies admitted to listing on the exchange are included.