5 Famous Economic Bubbles in History

Tap a bubble to read the full story behind it.

Tulip Mania (1637)

In the Dutch Republic, the price of tulip bulbs shot up to the cost of a house before crashing almost overnight β€” often cited as history's first recorded speculative bubble.

South Sea Bubble (1720)

Shares in Britain's South Sea Company soared on wildly inflated expectations before collapsing, in an episode famous partly because even Isaac Newton reportedly lost a substantial sum investing in it.

Dot-Com Bubble (1995-2000)

Excessive optimism about internet companies sent tech stock prices soaring, only for many companies with no clear path to profit to collapse one after another when the bubble burst.

The 2008 Global Financial Crisis (Housing Bubble)

A wave of defaults on risky US subprime mortgages destabilized financial markets worldwide, triggering the largest economic crisis of the 21st century so far.

Japan's Asset Price Bubble (1986-1991)

Real estate and stock prices soared to extreme, unsustainable levels before collapsing, setting off the decades-long economic stagnation in Japan often referred to as the "Lost Decades."

Why do bubbles keep happening?

Excessive optimism that "this time is different," combined with the herd instinct to jump in late after watching others profit, are the common threads that repeat across bubbles no matter how much the era or the asset changes.

This is not investment advice

This page is intended for educational, historical purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or avoid any particular investment. Always make actual investment decisions carefully and consult a professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you tell in advance when a bubble is about to burst?

Even experts frequently fail to pinpoint the exact peak of a bubble in real time β€” in most cases, a period only gets labeled a "bubble" in hindsight, after the fact.

Was Tulip Mania really as severe as it sounds?

Some recent research suggests its broader economic impact may have been somewhat exaggerated over time, but it remains widely cited as the textbook example of a speculative bubble.