Finance
London retains top spot in own global financial centre survey for sixth year
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 22, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Quick Summary
London remains the top global financial centre for the sixth year, despite challenges like slow internet speeds and competition from New York.
London Maintains Its Position as Leading Global Financial Centre for Sixth Year
London's Financial Centre Ranking Overview
LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - London remains the world's top financial centre ahead of New York, the City of London Corporation's annual survey based on public data showed on Thursday, while Singapore again came in third.
Survey Metrics and Categories
London retained the top spot for the sixth year in the survey of 102 metrics, which benchmarked global financial centres in five categories such as regulatory environment, talent and skills, and business infrastructure.
Its lead was based on consistency across those categories rather than being the best in any of them.
Challenges Facing London's Financial Hub
The British financial hub's internet speeds, however, were the slowest among the seven global financial centres included in the survey, the report showed, which could undermine its efforts to develop in artificial intelligence and technology.
Comparative Rankings with New York
London's status as a global finance hub has come under increasing scrutiny over the past two years, following a slowdown in public listings as a result of companies concerned about valuation levels choosing mainland Europe and the U.S. instead.
The city's number one ranking is also disputed, with New York ranking first and London second in London-based think tank Z/Yen's most recent Global Financial Centres Index based on 140 metrics.
(Reporting by Lawrence WhiteEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
Key Takeaways
- •London is ranked as the top global financial centre for the sixth consecutive year.
- •The City of London Corporation's survey used 102 metrics for evaluation.
- •London's internet speed is the slowest among top financial hubs.
- •New York disputes London's top ranking in a separate index.
- •Public listings in London have slowed down recently.
Frequently Asked Questions about London retains top spot in own global financial centre survey for sixth year
1What is a financial centre?
A financial centre is a location where a large concentration of financial institutions and services are located, facilitating banking, investment, and trading activities.
2What is the significance of the London Stock Exchange?
The London Stock Exchange is one of the world's oldest and largest stock exchanges, providing a platform for companies to raise capital and for investors to trade shares.
3What are survey metrics in finance?
Survey metrics in finance are quantitative measures used to evaluate and compare the performance and characteristics of financial centres based on various criteria.
4What is talent and skills in finance?
Talent and skills in finance refer to the expertise and competencies of professionals in the financial sector, essential for driving innovation and maintaining competitiveness.