By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Slovakia joined the FTSE World Government Bond Index (WGBI) in June 2026, strengthening its position in international financial markets, the country’s Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL) said on Tuesday.

The inclusion follows confirmation by FTSE Russell in September 2025 that Slovakia had met the index's requirements for market size, credit quality and accessibility.

According to ARDAL, entry into the index is expected to increase liquidity in the Slovak government bond market and attract additional demand from passive investment funds and exchange-traded funds that replicate the benchmark.

The FTSE WGBI represents more than $3 trillion of assets and is widely used by global fixed-income investors as a reference index for sovereign bond allocations.

“This represents a significant milestone that opens access for Slovakia to extensive global capital flows it could not previously reach. Increased demand and higher liquidity in the government bond market are expected, along with growing interest from passive funds and ETFs that replicate the index,” ARDAL said in a statement.

Slovakia was also added to related benchmarks, including the FTSE European Government Bond Index.