Trust as a locational advantage – Speech by Hubertus Väth at Chengdu Finance Week 2025
In his contribution to Chengdu Finance Week 2025, Hubertus Väth, Managing Director of Frankfurt Main Finance, builds a bridge between the history of Frankfurt as a financial center and the current challenges facing global financial markets. According to Väth, trust is the common thread running through Frankfurt’s success story: from the founding of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in 1585 to the introduction of the Deutschmark, the establishment of the European Central Bank, and the Brexit-induced restructuring of the financial world.
The keynote speech reminds us that trust cannot be taken for granted – it must be earned, nurtured, and defended. In an increasingly volatile world, locations that combine reliability, openness, and innovative strength are becoming increasingly important. This is precisely where Frankfurt sees one of its key strengths – and at the same time a starting point for deeper cooperation with emerging financial centers such as Chengdu.