The UK generated a financial services trade surplus of$127bn in 2024, which kept it ahead of the US on $64.2bn and above the combinedsurpluses of Singapore, Switzerland and Luxembourg. TheCityUK estimates that when related professionalservices are added, the UK’s overall financial and related professionalservices trade surplus reached £119.1bn, or about $152.5bn, underlining thescale of exports generated by the wider ecosystem.The latest edition of TheCityUK’s “Key facts about theUK as an international financial centre” report shows that the US remains theUK’s largest trading partner for financial and related professional services,taking 35.1% of total sector exports. The EU ranks second with a 31% share, with Luxembourg,Ireland and France as the top three destinations inside the bloc.Report Highlights Resilience and UncertaintyTheCityUK frames the numbers against a backdrop ofgeopolitical tension and a fragile global outlook, where higher volatilitycould test the resilience of cross‑border finance.The report shows that the banking system remains acore pillar of the UK’s international offering, with sector assets reaching$13.3trn at the end of the third quarter of 2025, making it the fourth largestbanking centre globally and second in Europe.The country also ranks as the world’s largestcross‑border banking hub, accounting for 14.6% of the total outstanding valueof international bank lending in the second quarter of 2025, a share that hasheld relatively stable over the last decade."The global economic landscape remains highly uncertain,with geopolitical tensions once again to the fore and the impact of anyincreased market volatility also potentially in prospect," Anjalika Bardalai, theChief Economist and Director, Economic Research, TheCityUK, commented."Against this backdrop, UK-based financial and relatedprofessional services exports remain resilient, with their exports a particularmeasure of their ongoing strength."London continues to act as a magnet for foreignlenders, hosting more than 160 foreign banks or branches. The UK remainsdominant in foreign exchange, with 38% of global FX turnover and twice as manyUS dollars traded in the UK as in the US, while London also stands as thebiggest offshore renminbi FX center, handling 43.1% of total offshore renminbitransactions in December 2024, up 5.8% year‑on‑year.Insurance, Pensions and Equity MarketsBeyond banking and FX, the UK retains weight acrossinsurance and capital markets. The insurance sector is the largest in Europe,with $554bn in gross written premiums in 2024, and London holds a 43% share ofthe global market for specialty risk classes.Continue reading: New Year, New UK? Can Britain’s IPO Market Finally TurnThe UK is also Europe’s largest source of pensionfunds, with pension assets under management of $3.2trn in 2024, highlightingthe depth of its long‑term savings pool.Equity markets remain a significant part of the UK’scapital markets footprint. As of October 2025, 259 foreign companies werelisted on the London Stock Exchange, placing London as the fourth‑ranked stockexchange globally by this metric. The UK recorded one of the highest equity marketcapitalizations relative to GDP among major economies, standing at 83.8% at theend of 2024.Green Finance Gains TractionThe report indicates that green and sustainablefinance continues to grow as a feature of the UK market. The country issued$31.9bn in green bonds in 2024, ranking sixth globally and third in Europe byissuance volume. The London Stock Exchange hosted 564 active sustainable bondsfrom more than 137 issuers by the end of 2024, and these instruments togetherraised around $341bn.The UK remains a major FinTech destination despite atougher global funding environment. In 2024, UK‑based FinTech firms attracted$3.6bn across 546 deals, retaining the country’s position as the world’s secondlargest FinTech investment hub after the US. Related professional services continue to reinforcethe UK’s financial hub status and contribute significantly to exports. The UKremains Europe’s largest legal services market, with a value of £52.3bn in2024, and it ranks second globally only behind the US.Management consulting and accounting services alsoform an important part of the picture. Turnover in UK management consultancyservices increased by 66% over the past decade to reach £92bn in 2024,reflecting growing demand for advisory support around strategy, regulation andtechnology. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.