Lion Finance Group PLC, the holding company that owns Georgia’s largest bank, Bank of Georgia, and Armenia’s leading financial institution Ameriabank, has become the first Georgian company to be included in the London Stock Exchange’s main FTSE 100 Index.
The FTSE 100 combines the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and serves as the exchange’s primary benchmark. Lion Finance Group’s inclusion follows a significant rise in the value of its shares. Over the past year, the company’s share price increased by 114% to £110, while its market capitalisation exceeded £5.6 billion, allowing the group to enter the top 100 during the latest FTSE 100 index review.
The total market capitalisation of companies included in the index now exceeds £2.4 trillion. The FTSE 100 features global leaders across sectors such as banking and finance (HSBC, Barclays), energy (Shell, BP), pharmaceuticals (AstraZeneca, GSK), mining (Rio Tinto, Glencore), consumer goods (Unilever, Reckitt), telecommunications (Vodafone), insurance (Prudential, Legal & General), and retail companies including Burberry and Next. Due to the global nature of these corporations, a large share of FTSE 100 revenues is generated outside the United Kingdom.
Inclusion in the FTSE 100 is considered a major milestone for companies, reflecting strong reputation, investor confidence and high corporate governance standards. The index is widely followed by major global investors, including pension funds and sovereign wealth funds such as Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management. Large institutional investors, including BlackRock and Vanguard, also hold significant positions in FTSE 100 companies, ensuring high liquidity and global visibility for index constituents.
The attractiveness of the index is further supported by the UK’s strong legal environment and London’s status as one of the world’s leading financial centres.
Lion Finance Group’s path to the FTSE 100
• 1994 – Bank of Georgia begins operations.
• 1996 – Introduction of the first plastic payment card in Georgia.
• 1998 – First ATM launched in the country.
• 2006 – Bank of Georgia lists its shares on the London Stock Exchange, marking Georgia’s first international IPO.
• 2012 – The bank moves to the Premium Listing segment and joins the FTSE 250 Index.
• 2022 – The number of monthly active digital users in the bank’s retail segment exceeds one million.
• 2024 – Lion Finance PLC acquires Ameriabank, one of Armenia’s leading financial institutions.
• 2025 – Bank of Georgia Group PLC changes its name to Lion Finance Group PLC.
• 2026 – Lion Finance Group becomes the first Georgian company to enter the FTSE 100 Index.
