Trade and Commerce

Discover how Hong Kong emerged as a global hub in the 19th century through the opium trade, Opium Wars, and British influence.

Learn about the emergence of central banks in Northern Europe, their impact on trade and commerce, and how they influenced monetary policy.

The Medici banking empire rose to power in 15th-century Italy through innovative use of bills of exchange, a system that allowed merchants to transfer value without physical currency.

The advent of modern finance in Northern Italy is a pivotal moment in European economic history, marked by the introduction of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system.