What The Long Finance does

The Long Finance is a London-based research and knowledge hub operated by Z/Yen Group Limited, founded in 2007 to address the question "When would we know our financial system is working?" over a roughly 100-year timeframe. Its core outputs are three flagship indices — the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI, published biannually since 2007, covering 120 financial centres), the China Construction Bank Global Green Finance Index (CCB GGFI, covering 92 centres), and the Smart Centres Index (SCI, covering 76 centres on technology readiness) — each produced using proprietary quantitative methodology combining instrumental factors with respondent assessments. The organisation also runs thematic research programmes including Distributed Futures (exploring blockchain, AI, quantum computing, and materials science), Meta-Commerce (modelled on Hilbert's 23 questions), Eternal Coin, and Sustainable Futures (which houses the London Accord, the world's largest open-access ESG analytics library with 600+ reports from 60+ institutions).

The business model is a freemium sponsorship-anchored hybrid. Core publications, indices, and most events are freely distributed via longfinance.net, while revenue is generated through named sponsorships (China Construction Bank for the GGFI, City of London Corporation, MAVA Foundation, SWIFT Institute), the Vantage Financial Centres membership programme (covering Astana IFC, Dubai IFC, Busan, Casablanca, Busan, and others), and the FS Clubroom subscription tier. Content is amplified through biannual conferences (80-350 attendees), customisable bulletins (The Bulletin and 17 SDG weekly newsletters), the Pamphleteers Blog (373+ entries), YouTube, and earned media (1,457 tracked coverage entries). The organisation serves four primary segments: financial centres and city governments seeking competitive benchmarking, government and policy makers, academic and research institutions, and financial services firms — with horizontal segmentation across geographies spanning the UK, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.

The Long Finance is a private, privately funded initiative with no disclosed institutional investors, no disclosed headcount, and no application-software products. Its underlying technology is minimal from a commercial standpoint — index methodologies, an open-source mutual distributed ledger (ChainZy) used for the MetroGnomo timestamping service, and standard web distribution — positioning it as a content and research franchise rather than a technology company.

Name

The Long Finance

Legal name

Z/Yen Group Limited

Website

https://longfinance.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Long Finance is a London-based research hub, operated by Z/Yen Group Limited, that publishes flagship financial centre competitiveness indices (GFCI, GGFI, SCI) and ESG research for policymakers, financial centres, academics, and financial services firms globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Partnerships: Long Finance receives sponsorship from organizations including China Construction Bank (for the Global Green Finance Index), City of London Corporation, and numerous other institutional sponsors including banks, professional associations, academic institutions, and NGOs. Sponsors contribute to the production of specific indices and research programmes.
2. Membership Fees: FS Clubroom membership provides enhanced access to research and community features. The FS Clubroom appears to be a premium membership tier offering additional benefits beyond free content.
3. Event Revenue: Annual Long Finance conferences, webinars, and other events generate attendance and engagement. Some events appear to be free while others may have registration fees.
4. London Accord: The London Accord is described as the world's largest open-access library of environmental, social, and governance analytics reports, available for free download. Revenue model for this programme is not clearly monetized.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Long Finance is a long-term financial system research initiative that produces benchmark indices (such as GFCI, GGFI, and SCI) and curated research programs (Distributed Futures, the London Accord, Meta-Commerce, Eternal Coin). It publishes research, surveys, and thought-leadership outputs that serve financial institutions, governments, financial centres, and academics. The initiative combines free public research with sponsored projects and a paid FS Clubroom membership.

Product overview

The Long Finance is a knowledge hub operated by Z/Yen Group that produces research publications and manages several interconnected programmes focused on long-term financial system improvement. The core offering consists of three major research indices: the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), the China Construction Bank Global Green Finance Index (GGFI), and the Smart Centres Index (SCI), which are published periodically and provide competitive assessments of financial centres worldwide. These indices are supported by the Vantage Financial Centres membership programme that offers enhanced data access. The organisation also runs thematic research programmes including the Distributed Futures Programme (covering blockchain/smart ledger technology, AI, quantum computing), the Meta-Commerce Programme (examining fundamental questions about financial system viability), the London Accord (ESG research repository with 600+ reports), and the Eternal Coin programme. Additional offerings include Sustainable Development Goals newsletters and the FS Clubroom membership platform. The portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem where indices provide data, programmes explore specific domains, and publications disseminate findings to support long-term financial system improvement over a 100-year timeframe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Financial Centre Futures: Programme focusing on financial centre competitiveness, housing the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), China Construction Bank Global Green Finance Index (GGFI), and Smart Centres Index (SCI).
• Sustainable Futures
• Distributed Futures
• Meta-Commerce
• Eternal Coin
• Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI)
• China Construction Bank Global Green Finance Index (CCB GGFI)
• Smart Centres Index (SCI)
• London Accord

Products and services

• Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI)

Quantifiable outcome

• GFCI 39 provides evaluations for 120 financial centres worldwide
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• China Construction BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026China Construction Bank offers sponsorship for the Global Green Finance Index, which is retitled as China Construction Bank Global Green Finance Index (CCB GGFI). This sponsorship provides naming rights and marketing association with the index.
• China Development Institute (CDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDI in Shenzhen and Z/Yen Partners in London collaborate in producing the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI). This is a long-standing partnership dating back to GFCI 20 in 2016. CDI provides China Development Institute perspective and connections to Chinese financial centres including Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Dalian.
• Z/Yen Group LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZ/Yen Group is the operator and creator of Long Finance. The organization produces research, manages events, and develops indices under the Long Finance umbrella. Long Finance is a knowledge hub operated by Z/Yen.
• City of London CorporationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInitiative sponsor providing support for Long Finance programmes and events. Has hosted multiple Long Finance conferences including the 2010 Autumn Conference on Sustainability.
• MAVA FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInitiative sponsor supporting Long Finance activities and research programmes.
• London Accord Contributors (60+ institutions)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore than 60 institutions support the London Accord, donating research and collaborating on ESG analytics. Contributors include businesses, academic institutes, governments, think-tanks and NGOs from the global financial community.
• Vantage Financial Centres MemberscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVFC membership includes: Astana International Financial Centre, Busan Finance Centre, Casablanca Finance City, Dubai International Financial Centre, Taiwan Academy of Banking And Finance, Financial Services Commission Mauritius, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Kigali International Financial Centre, Taiwan Stock Exchange, Scottish Financial Enterprise, and Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council. Members receive enhanced access to GFCI/GGFI data, marketing opportunities, and training.
• SWIFT InstitutestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWIFT Institute commissioned Professor Michael Mainelli and Professor Alistair Milne to examine the impact and potential of blockchains and mutual distributed ledgers on the securities transaction lifecycle.
• Gresham CollegestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution that has hosted multiple Long Finance conferences including 2016 conference on long-term social finance and 2008 London Accord Winter Conference.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP): Global non-profit running a major environmental disclosure system producing analytics and country/sector benchmarking widely used by investors and policymakers. Comparable as an ESG-focused research and analytics organisation with growing influence in sustainability benchmarking adjacent to Long Finance's GGFI.

Direct peers

• Milken Institute: Independent, non-partisan economic think tank that publishes influential indices and research on financial markets, knowledge economies, and capital formation. Highly comparable as a multi-programme think tank producing globally recognised indices through long-running research partnerships.
• New Financial: London-based think tank focused on European financial services and capital markets, producing research and convening industry stakeholders. Highly comparable as a UK-based financial sector think tank targeting similar policy and industry audiences with research-driven outputs.
• Oliver Wyman: Global management consultancy with deep financial services practice and a research function that has collaborated on the GFCI in earlier editions. Comparable as a financial services research and advisory organisation producing indices consumed by financial centres and policy makers.
• Chatham House: London-based international affairs think tank producing research and convening events on global economic policy, including financial system reform. Comparable as a UK-based, multi-programme think tank with a long publication track record and convening function for policy/industry stakeholders.
• Centre for London: London-based think tank producing research, reports, and events on London's economy including financial and professional services. Comparable as a London-centred research and convening organisation focused on financial services competitiveness.
• Economist Intelligence Unit: Research and intelligence arm of The Economist Group producing country, industry, and sector indices consumed by enterprises, governments, and investors. Directly comparable as a subscription/research organisation that benchmarks financial centres and markets using structured quantitative methodology.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum: International organisation producing high-profile Global Competitiveness and Financial Development indices, country readiness rankings, and thought leadership. Comparable in producing broadly cited global financial/competitiveness indices, though at far greater scale and breadth than Long Finance.
• S&P Global Market Intelligence: Research and data business of S&P Global producing indices, ratings, and analytics used by financial market participants including financial centre and country risk benchmarking. Comparable as a large-scale financial research/data business with adjacent index products, though with commercial rather than non-profit positioning.
• Brookings Institution: Major US-based public policy think tank producing research across economic, financial, and international affairs topics including financial markets regulation. Comparable as a long-established, multi-programme research organisation with regular financial sector publications and convening function.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/longfinance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIm5eodB2auHNrxeX4Ivesg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/z-yen-group-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Long Finance