Casablanca Advances Strongly in Global Financial Center Rankings
Casablanca has made a notable leap in the global financial center rankings, according to the 39th edition of the Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI), published by Z/Yen and the China Development Institute. The economic capital of Morocco has climbed seven positions to rank 49th worldwide, scoring 700 points despite a slight decline of three points amid a general decrease of 1.82% in average results.
This outcome solidifies Casablanca’s position as the leading financial center in Africa, surpassing cities such as Johannesburg (80th), Mauritius (50th), and Cape Town (96th). Regionally, in the Middle East and Africa, Casablanca holds the fourth spot, following Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, which have recorded the best performance among financial centers in the region.
Casablanca excelled particularly in the fintech sector, soaring 20 positions to 50th globally among 116 centers, marking one of the highest rates of advancement in this field. This progress reflects Morocco’s ongoing efforts to foster an encouraging environment for financial innovation and attract investments in the sector.
The report indicated that Casablanca is among fifteen centers expected to grow in influence over the next two to three years, backed by 23 positive signals reflecting expectations of continued growth. The city also benefits from a strong reputation, as evidenced by the significant gap between expert evaluations (806 points) and the final score (700 points), indicating that specialists view the city’s financial potential more positively than the numerical indicators suggest.
The GFCI 39 has classified Casablanca among the “Global Leaders,” a category that includes major financial hubs such as London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, and Paris, characterized by diverse financial services, specialization in specific sectors, and strong connectivity to international markets.
This jump in Casablanca’s ranking occurs against a challenging global backdrop in which most financial centers have seen a decline in their results, reinforcing Morocco’s strategic position and the “Casablanca Finance City” initiative as a leading regional hub connecting Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
