Greece’s Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis has welcomed the return of the Athens Stock Exchange to developed market status, describing it as a landmark achievement for the Greek economy. He linked the upgrade to Greece’s recovery of its investment-grade credit rating and the exchange’s integration into the Euronext group. According to a statement from the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, Pierrakakis stressed that the next priority is to convert the credibility Greece has earned into new investments, stronger businesses, and more, better-paying jobs.
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Pierrakakis: “The credibility we’ve earned is the capital for our next big step”
“With the close of today’s trading session, the Athens Stock Exchange has officially returned — after 13 years — to the developed markets category. This is a significant milestone for our economy and yet another tangible recognition of the enormous progress our country has made,” said Kyriakos Pierrakakis. According to the minister, recent years have been marked by a series of successive milestones for the Greek economy and capital markets. “Over these years, Greece has moved from doubt to credibility, and from disinvestment to attracting capital. The recovery of our investment-grade rating, the integration of the Athens Stock Exchange into the Euronext group, and now the return to developed market status — these are different waypoints along the same journey,” he noted. The Athens Stock Exchange’s integration into the Euronext group was completed following a successful public offer in November 2025, while FTSE Russell had previously announced the upgrade of the Greek capital market from “Advanced Emerging Market” to “Developed Market.”
What this means for investment and business
Kyriakos Pierrakakis placed particular emphasis on the opportunities ahead, highlighting the potential for attracting international capital and expanding financing options for businesses. “What matters most, however, is what this development means for the road ahead. The return to developed market status broadens the investment base our country can reach and strengthens its ability to attract international capital. At the same time, a stronger and deeper capital market opens up more financing avenues for businesses.” A similar assessment regarding the expansion of the international investor pool had been expressed by the Athens Stock Exchange itself when the FTSE Russell upgrade was first announced.
“The upgrade is not the end of the journey”
For the minister, the key challenge now is translating this achievement into concrete investments, more competitive businesses, and quality employment. “That is the real objective: to turn the credibility we have earned into capital for the next big step — new investments, stronger and more competitive businesses, and more, better-paying jobs.” Kyriakos Pierrakakis concluded by noting that the upgrade simultaneously raises the bar for Greece’s capital market going forward. “The upgrade is not the end of the journey. It raises the bar for what comes next — a larger, deeper, and more outward-looking capital market that will more meaningfully finance the country’s growth.”
