GIFT City Makes Powerful Global Rise
Crazyrites Editorial Team
September 17, 2026
India’s GIFT City has made a notable move in the latest global financial centre rankings, climbing nine places to 37th globally in the 40th edition of the Global Financial Centres Index, or GFCI 40.
The GIFT City global ranking has improved from 46th in the previous GFCI 39 edition, giving the financial hub a stronger position among international financial centres. The latest ranking also places GIFT City among the top 15 financial centres in the Asia-Pacific region, making it the only Indian financial centre in that group.
The development comes as GIFT City continues to build its financial services and technology ecosystem. Its FinTech ranking has also improved, moving from 29th to 26th globally.
The latest results offer a useful look at how India’s international financial hub is developing and how its position is changing in a region that already includes several established financial centres.
GIFT City Moves to 37th Globally
The latest GIFT City global ranking represents a nine-place improvement compared with GFCI 39.
GIFT City was ranked 46th in the previous edition. It has now moved to 37th, showing a significant improvement in its overall position in the index.
The Global Financial Centres Index is published by Z/Yen Partners in partnership with the China Development Institute. It is designed to assess the competitiveness and development of financial centres around the world.
The index considers both survey responses from financial professionals and quantitative data.
According to reporting on the latest edition, GFCI 40 uses 144 instrumental factors, with 39,531 assessments and responses from 6,147 participants to the GFCI online questionnaire.
This makes the latest ranking broader than a simple survey or opinion poll.
| Key Indicator | GIFT City GFCI 40 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | 37th |
| Previous global rank | 46th |
| Global improvement | 9 places |
| Asia-Pacific position | Top 15 |
| FinTech rank | 26th globally |
| Previous FinTech rank | 29th |
| FinTech improvement | 3 places |
| Centres assessed | 115 |
| GFCI edition | 40th |
Why the Asia-Pacific Position Matters
The GIFT City global ranking is particularly important because the Asia-Pacific region contains some of the world’s established financial hubs.
Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Seoul, Tokyo and other centres have developed large financial ecosystems over many years.
Entering the regional top 15 therefore puts GIFT City into a wider competitive group.
According to the latest reporting, GIFT City is now the only Indian financial centre among the top 15 in the Asia-Pacific region.
This does not mean that GIFT City is already comparable in scale with every major established centre in the region. Instead, the ranking shows that its position within the broader financial-centre landscape has improved.
For India, the result also highlights the development of a financial hub designed to handle international financial activity from within the country.
FinTech Ranking Also Improves
Another important part of the GIFT City global ranking story is the improvement in FinTech.
GIFT City moved from 29th to 26th globally in the GFCI FinTech ranking, gaining three places from the previous edition.
FinTech is becoming an important part of modern financial centres.
Banks, insurers, investment firms and payment companies increasingly depend on digital systems to deliver their services.
For a financial centre, this means technology infrastructure can be just as important as traditional financial services.
The improvement in GIFT City’s FinTech position therefore provides another indication of the city’s expanding finance-and-technology ecosystem.
What Is GIFT City?
The GIFT City global ranking is connected closely to the development of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, commonly known as GIFT City.
GIFT City is India’s first International Financial Services Centre, or IFSC, and is designed to provide a location for international financial and technology-related activities.
The ecosystem includes banking, insurance, capital markets, FinTech, IT and other financial services.
The city’s international financial services framework is supported by the International Financial Services Centres Authority, or IFSCA.
Over time, the objective has been to create an environment where companies can conduct cross-border financial activities from India.
The latest ranking suggests that the ecosystem is receiving increasing attention from financial-sector professionals.
What Helped the Ranking Improve?
The GIFT City global ranking reflects several factors rather than a single development.
The GFCI evaluates financial centres using areas such as FinTech capabilities, access to finance, skilled talent, regulatory conditions and information and communications technology infrastructure.
These factors are important because modern financial centres need more than office buildings and financial institutions.
They also require technology, skilled workers, reliable digital infrastructure and a regulatory system that can support international business.
GIFT City’s development has focused on several of these areas.
The growing presence of financial services companies and technology businesses has helped create a broader ecosystem around the IFSC.
However, rankings should still be viewed as one measure of development rather than a complete measure of the size or performance of a financial centre.
Digital Infrastructure Becomes More Important
The GIFT City global ranking comes at a time when digital infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for financial centres.
The latest GFCI report identifies areas such as cloud services, data connectivity and cybersecurity resilience as important priorities for financial centres over the next five years.
This is significant because financial services now depend heavily on digital systems.
Banks process large volumes of transactions electronically. Investment platforms depend on fast data connections. Insurance companies use digital systems to manage customers and claims.
At the same time, cybersecurity has become a basic requirement for financial institutions.
A financial centre seeking international business therefore needs strong digital infrastructure as well as physical infrastructure.
Focus on FinTech and Digital Assets
The GIFT City global ranking also comes as financial centres compete to attract FinTech companies and businesses working with newer financial technologies.
The GFCI report highlights the attraction of FinTech and digital asset businesses as one of the areas that financial centres need to consider.
GIFT City’s improvement in the global FinTech ranking is relevant in this context.
FinTech companies can bring new services, technology investment and skilled employment to a financial ecosystem.
However, the growth of digital finance also requires strong safeguards.
Financial centres need effective rules covering customer protection, financial crime, cybersecurity and market activity.
This balance between innovation and regulation will remain important as GIFT City develops further.
Stronger Regulation Remains Important
The GIFT City global ranking is not only about attracting companies.
A successful international financial centre also needs a regulatory system that is trusted by market participants.
The GFCI report highlights the importance of stronger anti-money-laundering and financial-crime frameworks for financial centres.
These measures are important because international financial activity can involve large amounts of money moving across borders.
Strong compliance systems can help reduce risks related to financial crime while supporting legitimate business.
For GIFT City, continued development in this area can be important as its financial ecosystem becomes more international.
GIFT City and Cross-Border Finance
The GIFT City global ranking also reflects the city’s focus on cross-border financial activity.
GIFT City has positioned itself as a platform through which financial institutions and companies can provide services connected to international markets.
This includes areas such as banking, insurance, capital markets and FinTech.
GIFT City has said that it plans to deepen market participation, improve international connectivity and build capabilities for increasingly sophisticated cross-border financial activity.
The ability to connect efficiently with international markets will be important for the city’s long-term development.
A financial centre can attract companies more effectively when those businesses can access customers, investors and markets across different countries.
A Place Among Future Financial Centres
One particularly interesting part of the GIFT City global ranking is its inclusion among 15 centres that respondents expect to become more significant over the next two to three years.
This assessment is based on mentions by respondents to the GFCI survey.
That does not guarantee that GIFT City will achieve a particular future ranking.
Instead, it shows that financial-sector participants included the city among centres they see as having potential for greater importance in the near future.
For GIFT City, this provides another indicator of growing recognition.
The challenge will be turning that interest into continued business activity, investment and international participation.
What the Ranking Means for India
The GIFT City global ranking has a wider significance for India’s financial sector.
India already has a major financial centre in Mumbai, while GIFT City is being developed with a different international focus.
The latest GFCI results also show movement among Indian centres. GIFT City’s rise is therefore part of a broader financial-sector development story rather than an isolated change.
GIFT City can potentially provide Indian and international companies with another location for financial activity.
This could support areas such as international banking, insurance, investment services, fund management and FinTech.
However, the long-term impact will depend on how effectively the ecosystem continues to attract companies, talent and international capital.
Competition With Established Centres
The GIFT City global ranking also shows the level of competition in the Asia-Pacific financial market.
The region includes financial centres with decades of experience, large pools of skilled professionals and deep capital markets.
GIFT City’s rise does not remove that competition.
Instead, it places the city into a wider group of centres competing for financial institutions, technology companies, investors and skilled workers.
This competition can encourage financial centres to improve infrastructure, regulations and services.
For GIFT City, maintaining momentum will require continued development rather than relying only on a single improvement in an index.
What Could Drive Future Growth?
Several areas could influence the GIFT City global ranking in future editions.
The first is market participation.
More financial institutions and businesses using the IFSC can increase the depth of the financial ecosystem.
The second is international connectivity.
Strong links with global markets can make the city more useful for companies conducting cross-border business.
The third is technology.
Cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and high-quality digital networks are becoming increasingly important to financial institutions.
The fourth is talent.
Financial centres need skilled professionals across banking, investment management, technology, compliance, law and risk management.
Finally, regulation will remain important.
A clear and stable framework can help companies understand how to operate while maintaining appropriate safeguards.
What Businesses Should Watch
For businesses considering GIFT City, the GIFT City global ranking is one useful signal among many.
Companies also need to consider regulation, operating costs, talent availability, market access and the wider business environment.
The ranking can provide an indication of how financial professionals view the centre, but individual companies will have different requirements.
For financial institutions, access to international markets and regulatory clarity may be particularly important.
For FinTech companies, technology infrastructure and access to skilled workers may receive greater attention.
Therefore, the ranking should be considered alongside other business factors.
The Road Ahead
The GIFT City global ranking has improved substantially in GFCI 40, but the next stage will be about maintaining that progress.
Moving from 46th to 37th is a notable change, while the Asia-Pacific top-15 position gives the city greater visibility.
At the same time, the global financial-centre market remains competitive.
The continued development of capital markets, FinTech, digital infrastructure and international connections will likely influence how GIFT City performs in future editions.
The city’s ability to attract and retain financial businesses will also remain important.
Conclusion
The GIFT City global ranking has reached 37th place in the latest GFCI 40, marking a nine-place improvement from its previous 46th position.
The city has also entered the top 15 financial centres in the Asia-Pacific region and is the only Indian centre in that group, according to reports on the latest index.
Its FinTech position has improved as well, moving three places to 26th globally.
These developments reflect the continuing expansion of GIFT City’s financial services ecosystem and its growing connection between finance, technology and innovation.
However, a ranking is only one measure of progress.
The long-term development of GIFT City will depend on market participation, international connectivity, skilled talent, technology infrastructure and a strong regulatory framework.
The latest GFCI results nevertheless provide a clear indication that GIFT City is receiving greater recognition within the international financial-centre landscape.
As India continues to expand its role in global financial services, GIFT City’s progress will remain an important development to watch in the coming years.
Sources
- Global Financial Centres Index reporting and GFCI 40 data, as reported by DD India and Business Today.
- Economic Times report on GIFT City’s GFCI 40 ranking.
- FinTech BizNews report based on GIFT City information and GFCI 40 findings.
- Earlier GFCI report from Z/Yen Partners for comparison with GFCI 39.
