Robert Troy, the Minister for Financial Services, has become the first Irish government minister to open markets at the London Stock Exchange.
The event was held to mark Ireland Day at the LSE, as well as the growing innovation partnership between the UK and Irish financial services sectors.
Hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the event highlighted record investment, expansion and landmark acquisitions by Irish financial services and fintech firms in the UK, including Fexco Group's acquisition of Sainsbury's Travel Money this year.
More than 200 Enterprise Ireland financial services and fintech clients are now active in the UK, investing, scaling and partnering with the country's leading financial institutions.
The UK market is the largest country export market for Enterprise Ireland backed client companies. 29% of total client exports, valued at €10.52 billion, went to the UK last year, representing a 4% increase on 2023.
Tech, financial services and business services exports to the UK accounted for €1.2 billion in 2024, with tech increasing by 12% and fintech increasing by 5% on the previous year.
Today's event also coincided with significant announcements from five Irish firms addressing pressing UK market needs.
These include tech firm Version 1, client lifecycle management company Fenergo, cyber security provider CWSI, data and AI consultancy company Clear Strategy and ID-Pal, which provides AI-powered identity verification.
Supported by nearly €1 billion in venture funding over the past five years, Enterprise Ireland-backed fintech companies are tackling critical industry challenges in compliance, data analytics, cybersecurity, risk management and digital transformation across the UK and global markets.
Robert Troy said that Ireland and the UK are indispensable partners in today's financial services ecosystem.
"Sustained investment in Irish fintech and their growth and expansion in the UK, has played a pivotal role in shaping excellence across the City and the wider UK market," Mr Troy said.
"Today's announcements demonstrate how Irish firms are not only investing at home but are also creating jobs and establishing a permanent presence in the UK, benefiting both the UK and Irish economies," he added.
Kevin Sherry, Executive Director at Enterprise Ireland, said the UK is Ireland's largest country export market and a strategic priority for Irish tech, financial services and fintech companies.
"We are laser-focused on forging high-value business connections and supporting Irish firms to enter, scale and invest in the UK," he said.
"The global financial industry faces a number of mounting pressures - regulatory complexity, escalating cyber and fraud risks, green compliance, data silos and AI bias," Mr Sherry said.
"Irish firms are building world class customer solutions that are agile, scalable, and secure. They're helping UK institutions navigate regulatory complexity, unlock new efficiencies, and stay competitive in a fast-moving landscape," he added.
Julia Hoggett, CEO of the London Stock Exchange, said that today was a historic day.
"We are delighted to have welcomed Minister Robert Troy, the first Irish government Minister to open our markets, alongside Enterprise Ireland and some of Ireland’s most innovative companies. This celebration reflects the long-standing and important ties between the financial services industries of the UK and Ireland," she added.
