On 25 August 2026, the Irish Department of Finance published its renewed “Ireland for Finance” strategy which positions Ireland’s funds and asset management sector as an important component of the EU’s Savings and Investments Union (“SIU”) agenda, and highlights Ireland’s role in channelling savings into investment across the EU.
Background
Following a public consultation in 2025, today’s Ireland for Finance Strategy Vision 2030 – Renewed and Refocussed for a Digital Age will guide the development of the international financial services sector through to 2030. We were delighted to have been able to participate in the public consultation and roundtable discussions.
Funds Sector 2030 was a focused review of Ireland’s funds and asset management industry undertaken within that broader policy framework. Many of the recommendations arising from the Funds Sector 2030 Review are now being advanced through the Ireland for Finance Vision 2030 strategy.
For more on the Funds Sector 2030 review, see our previous insights here: Funds Sector 2030 Review Final Report | Arthur Cox LLP
Vision 2030
The overarching vision of the Ireland for Finance strategy is to establish Ireland as a globally leading, future-focused international financial services hub, renowned for excellence, innovation and trust, while supporting the EU’s SIU and broader sustainable economic growth.
The strategy is built around four core ambitions:
- Trusted – reinforce Ireland’s position as a competitive, stable and trusted global financial centre.
- Scalable – deliver scale and expertise to support EU capital markets and economic growth.
- Digital – leverage technology and digital transformation capabilities.
- Localised – deepen links between the financial sector, Irish businesses and citizens.
Funds and asset management
Ireland’s funds and asset management sector is substantial in scale and continues to experience strong growth as the 3rd largest funds domicile globally, with €5.6 trillion of funds under administration. The sector’s growth is bolstered by a leading position in exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) and money market funds (“MMFs”), an expanding private assets sector, and strong industry interest in tokenisation of funds.
ETFs
Irish-domiciled ETF assets under management rose from €630 billion in Q4 2020 to €1.89 trillion in Q4 2025. Ireland domiciles roughly 70% of European ETFs, with the European ETF market forecast to exceed $6 trillion in assets under management (“AUM”) by 2030. Growth may also be supported by the Government’s proposed investment account initiative, which is intended to encourage greater retail participation in capital markets.
Private assets
The strategy identifies private assets as a significant growth opportunity for Ireland. It notes that European private asset markets are forecast to exceed €5 trillion in AUM by 2030 and highlights Ireland’s established expertise in fund structuring, administration and distribution. The strategy highlights a number of measures already underway to support private assets, including AIFMD-related reforms, tax changes (both following Funds Sector 2030 Review recommendations), and modernisation of the 1907 Limited Partnership structure. This Limited Partnership Act modernisation is specifically targeted at supporting growth in private assets and venture capital and a public consultation on reform of the framework was launched in July 2026.
For more on the 1907 Limited Partnership review, see our previous insights here: Ireland consults on reform of Limited Partnership Framework | Arthur Cox LLP
Digital assets and fund tokenisation
The Government has committed to supporting the tokenisation of investment funds. Earlier this year, the Central Bank published a Discussion Paper on tokenisation, inviting feedback on the opportunities and risks associated with tokenised financial assets and fund structures.
For more on the tokenisation Discussion Paper, see our previous insights here: Central Bank issues Discussion Paper on DLT & tokenisation in financial services | Arthur Cox LLP.
We’d like to acknowledge the Central Bank’s engagement on tokenisation after we advised recently on the establishment of one of the first tokenised money market funds in Ireland.
Sustainable funds
The strategy also highlights Ireland’s position as a centre for sustainable finance. As at Q3 2025, Ireland hosted €2 trillion of Article 8 funds and €36 billion of Article 9 SFDR-classified Irish-domiciled funds. The strategy notes that measures intended to support private asset structures, including ELTIFs, may also contribute to the growth of sustainable investment products.
Next Steps
The Ireland for Finance Vision 2030 strategy sets out an ambitious direction of travel for the sector, which is welcomed. A recurring theme throughout the strategy is the need to move from policy design to delivery, with a particular focus on implementing the recommendations of the Funds Sector 2030 Review, advancing legislative reforms to support private assets and fund tokenisation, and establishing governance structures to oversee progress. The strategy contemplates ongoing engagement between Government, regulators and industry, with delivery expected to be monitored through dedicated implementation and reporting mechanisms.
Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the new Ireland for Finance strategy further, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our team.