Organization And Nature Of Operations	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Organization And Nature Of Operations [Abstract]
Organization And Nature Of Operations	1. Organization and Nature of Operations We are a leading global exchange group that delivers trading, clearing, exchange technology, securities listing, and public company services across six continents. Our global offerings are diverse and include trading and clearing across multiple asset classes, market data products, financial indexes, capital formation solutions, financial services and market technology products and services. Our technology powers markets across the globe, supporting cash equity trading, derivatives trading, clearing and settlement and many other functions. In the U.S., we operate The NASDAQ Stock Market, a registered national securities exchange. The NASDAQ Stock Market is the largest single cash equities securities market in the U.S. in terms of listed companies and in the world in terms of share value traded. As of September 30, 2011, The NASDAQ Stock Market was home to 2,717 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of approximately $4.1 trillion. In addition, in the U.S. we operate two additional cash equities trading markets, two options markets, a futures market and a derivatives clearinghouse. We also engage in riskless principal trading of over-the-counter, or OTC, power and gas contracts. In Europe, we operate exchanges in Stockholm (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), and Iceland as NASDAQ OMX Nordic, and exchanges in Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania) as NASDAQ OMX Baltic. Collectively, the exchanges that comprise NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic offer trading in cash equities, bonds, structured products and ETFs, as well as trading and clearing of derivatives and clearing of resale and repurchase agreements. Through NASDAQ OMX First North, our Nordic and Baltic operations also offer alternative marketplaces for smaller companies. As of September 30, 2011, the exchanges that comprise NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic, together with NASDAQ OMX First North, were home to 771 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of approximately $814 billion. We also operate NASDAQ OMX Armenia. In addition, NASDAQ OMX Commodities operates the world's largest power derivatives exchange, one of Europe's largest carbon exchanges, and N2EX, a marketplace for physical U.K. power contracts. In some of the countries where we operate exchanges, we also provide clearing, settlement, and depository services.

Organization And Nature Of Operations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Organization And Nature Of Operations [Abstract]

1. Organization and Nature of Operations

We are a leading global exchange group that delivers trading, clearing, exchange technology, securities listing, and public company services across six continents. Our global offerings are diverse and include trading and clearing across multiple asset classes, market data products, financial indexes, capital formation solutions, financial services and market technology products and services. Our technology powers markets across the globe, supporting cash equity trading, derivatives trading, clearing and settlement and many other functions.

In the U.S., we operate The NASDAQ Stock Market, a registered national securities exchange. The NASDAQ Stock Market is the largest single cash equities securities market in the U.S. in terms of listed companies and in the world in terms of share value traded. As of September 30, 2011, The NASDAQ Stock Market was home to 2,717 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of approximately $4.1 trillion. In addition, in the U.S. we operate two additional cash equities trading markets, two options markets, a futures market and a derivatives clearinghouse. We also engage in riskless principal trading of over-the-counter, or OTC, power and gas contracts.

In Europe, we operate exchanges in Stockholm (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), and Iceland as NASDAQ OMX Nordic, and exchanges in Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania) as NASDAQ OMX Baltic. Collectively, the exchanges that comprise NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic offer trading in cash equities, bonds, structured products and ETFs, as well as trading and clearing of derivatives and clearing of resale and repurchase agreements. Through NASDAQ OMX First North, our Nordic and Baltic operations also offer alternative marketplaces for smaller companies. As of September 30, 2011, the exchanges that comprise NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic, together with NASDAQ OMX First North, were home to 771 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of approximately $814 billion.

We also operate NASDAQ OMX Armenia. In addition, NASDAQ OMX Commodities operates the world's largest power derivatives exchange, one of Europe's largest carbon exchanges, and N2EX, a marketplace for physical U.K. power contracts.

In some of the countries where we operate exchanges, we also provide clearing, settlement, and depository services.