5 Reasons Texas Is the New Financial Hub
For decades, Wall Street symbolized the epicenter of finance. Today, the spotlight is shifting, and Texas is rapidly rising as the nation’s next financial powerhouse. From the arrival of new exchanges to the expansion of global financial institutions, the Lone Star State is attracting serious attention from investors, banks, and fintech innovators.
Here are five reasons why Texas is the new financial hub, and what this transformation might mean for the future of the finance sector.
1. A Homegrown Exchange: TXSE Is Coming Online
The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) represents a defining step in Texas’s rise as a financial hub. Headquartered in Dallas and projected to begin trading in 2026, it will provide companies with a local exchange option in the nation’s fastest-growing economy, bringing capital markets closer to where many of today’s leading businesses are headquartered.
TXSE has raised $161 million from leading financial institutions, including BlackRock, Citadel Securities, Charles Schwab, and Jump Trading. That level of institutional support demonstrates overwhelming confidence in Texas as a rising financial center.
2. NYSE Texas Expands the State’s Role in Capital Markets
With the creation of NYSE Texas in Dallas, the New York Stock Exchange has placed one of the country’s most significant trading venues inside Texas. This development gives the state a direct role in listing, trading, and regulatory functions that were once concentrated in New York and Chicago.
For companies headquartered in the region, the presence of NYSE Texas provides direct access to exchange operations and services, making Dallas an attractive base for both issuers and investors. It also draws supporting industries such as legal, compliance, and technology services into the area, deepening the financial ecosystem.
3. Nasdaq Anchors Its Regional Headquarters in Dallas
Nasdaq recently opened a Dallas-based regional headquarters to support issuers across Texas and the Southeast. As one of the world’s leading exchange operators, Nasdaq’s decision reflects recognition of the state’s growing concentration of corporate headquarters, financial talent, and investment activity.
With NYSE, TXSE, and Nasdaq all establishing a presence, Texas is the only state outside New York to host such a deep bench of exchange operators. This density of exchange infrastructure is a hallmark of financial hubs and underscores why Dallas is rising as one of the country’s most important centers of capital activity.
4. Global Financial Institutions Are Growing Here
Some of the world’s most influential financial firms are expanding at a scale that firmly establishes Texas as a core operating base:
- Goldman Sachs is developing a new $500 million Dallas campus with capacity for 5,000 employees.
- Charles Schwab relocated its headquarters to Westlake in the Dallas–Fort Worth area making room for 6,000 on-site employees.
- JPMorgan Chase employs more than 18,000 across Texas, anchored by a major Plano campus that will house an additional 4,000 employees.
- Bank of America is set to anchor a new downtown Dallas tower opening in 2027.
As global banks expand in Texas, they draw in the funds, suppliers, and technology providers that support their operations. In Dallas–Fort Worth, this clustering effect is already visible, with growth in private equity, asset management, fintech, and professional services. Learn more about financial opportunities in the Dallas region.
5. Austin’s Fintech Momentum
Austin has become one of the fastest-growing fintech centers in the country, propelled by its tech workforce, university pipeline, and startup culture. Global names like PayPal, Visa, and Charles Schwab have expanded tech and product teams in the city, while homegrown players such as Q2 Holdings, Abrigo, and Kasasa develop digital banking platforms, risk management systems, and customer-facing products that power thousands of community banks and credit unions across the country.
Venture-backed startups in payments, insurtech, and wealthtech are scaling rapidly, supported by a deep bench of software engineers and data scientists trained at the University of Texas and attracted from Silicon Valley relocations.
By clustering fintech firms alongside major tech employers like Dell Technologies and Tesla, Austin has created a unique ecosystem where finance and technology cross-pollinate.
Texas Fundamentals That Make This Possible
Texas’s rise as a financial hub is built on fundamentals that give corporate and financial services the conditions to thrive:
- Pro-business climate and cost advantages: The business-friendly environment in Texas includes no state personal or corporate income tax. Texas has been named by CEOs as the Best State for Business for 21 years in a row and has won the Governor’s Cup 13 years in a row for the most business location and expansion projects.
- Massive market and workforce: Texas’ economic strength is unparalleled, with a $2.7 trillion GDP. With more than 15.8 million workers and 54 Fortune 500 headquarters, the state represents one of the largest business ecosystems in the world.
- Infrastructure at scale: Texas is home to the nation’s largest transportation network, with over 313,000 miles of public roads, 380 airports, 10,400 miles of rail, and 23 seaports.
- Policy momentum: Voters and lawmakers have backed new investments, including $5 billion for a Texas Energy Fund, $1.5 billion for broadband infrastructure, and $1 billion for water projects. Programs like the Texas Enterprise Fund continue to attract global projects.
These advantages, combined with other attractive tax incentives for businesses in Texas, make the state a destination for sustained financial growth.
Texas: The Next Financial Hub
The launch of TXSE, the establishment of NYSE Texas, and Nasdaq’s Dallas headquarters mark a turning point for the state’s financial sector, strengthening the foundation for long-term growth in banking, investment, and corporate services.
Combined with the broader advantages for businesses in Texas – from its pro-business climate to its workforce depth and infrastructure – these developments show how the Lone Star State is evolving into a financial hub with national and global influence. With all these incredible changes underway, now is the time to start doing business in Texas.