Which civilization is credited with creating the alphabet used for trade?

The Phoenicians are credited with creating the alphabet that significantly influenced trade, as their writing system was one of the first to use a phonetic script. This alphabet made it easier to write and trade across various cultures, as it simplified the representation of sounds and reduced the complexity associated with other writing systems, such as cuneiform or hieroglyphics. The Phoenician alphabet consisted of 22 letters, all consonants, and it allowed for more efficient record-keeping and communication between merchants.

This innovation in writing facilitated commerce not only among the Phoenicians themselves but also helped spread their trading practices and their alphabet to other civilizations, including the Greeks and subsequently the Romans who adapted it, leading to the alphabet we use today. While the Greeks and Romans did contribute to the development of written language, their alphabets were adaptations of the earlier Phoenician system rather than original creations for trade. The Egyptians used hieroglyphics, which were complex and primarily used for religious and ceremonial purposes, not for trade in the same efficient manner.