Iceland Frontier
Europe · Reykjavik · ISK (Icelandic Krona)
Economy & industry overview
Iceland is a small, highly developed Nordic island economy with a nominal GDP of approximately 33.5 billion USD in 2024. Its economy is anchored by tourism, fisheries, renewable energy, aluminum smelting, and a rebuilt financial sector following the 2008 banking crisis. Iceland generates 100 percent of its electricity from renewable geothermal and hydropower sources, making energy-intensive industries such as data centers and aluminum production competitive. The economy contracted modestly in 2024 after strong post-pandemic growth, with inflation elevated but declining steadily. Iceland is a member of the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area but not the European Union.
Key sectors
Learn everything about Iceland →Macro
| GDP nominal, USD | $33.46B |
| GDP growth real, annual | -0.7% |
| Inflation annual | 5.9% |
| Population people | 384K |
| GDP per capita USD | $86,485 |
| Market cap total listed, USD | $19.00B |
| Market cap / GDP | 56.8% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% |
| Listed companies | 32 |
| Exchange | Nasdaq Iceland, the sole stock exchange in Iceland, is operated by Nasdaq Nordic and uses the trading code XICE. (XICE) |
Primary data year: 2024. Sources: World Bank GDP data 2024, Statistics Iceland, IMF Article IV Iceland 2024, OECD Economic Surveys Iceland 2025, FocusEconomics Iceland, Nasdaq Iceland (nasdaq.com), MSCI 2025 Global Market Accessibility Review, MSCI Iceland Index factsheet, Wikipedia: Nasdaq Iceland, companiesmarketcap.com, stockanalysis.com, topforeignstocks.com, goldenvisas.com, BBA Fjeldco Market Insight Report Iceland 2024. Individual figures may cover different reference periods — for example a fiscal year, or an estimate for the current year — and the overview above states these where known.
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LatviaLargest listed companies
The biggest companies on the main local exchange, by market capitalisation. Where a foreign company holds a secondary listing here, it is shown after the domestic companies.
| # | Company | Sector | Market capUSD | US listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JBT Marel CorporationJBTM · XICE | Industrials · Food Processing Equipment | $5.00B | JBTM |
| 2 | Arion banki hf.ARION · XICE | Financials · Banking | $1.98B | — |
| 3 | Islandsbanki hf.ISB · XICE | Financials · Banking | $1.89B | — |
| 4 | Alvotech hf.ALVO · XICE | Health Care · Biopharmaceuticals | $1.76B | ALVO |
| 5 | Sildarvinnslan hf.SVN · XICE | Consumer Staples · Fisheries | $1.55B | — |
| 6 | Brim hf.BRIM · XICE | Consumer Staples · Fisheries | $1.27B | — |
| 7 | Hagar hf.HAGA · XICE | Consumer Staples · Retail | $1.06B | — |
| 8 | Isfelag hf.ISF · XICE | Consumer Staples · Fisheries | $940.00M | — |
| 9 | Festi hf.FESTI · XICE | Consumer Discretionary · Retail | $760.00M | — |
| 10 | Amaroq Minerals Ltd.AMRQ · XICE | Basic Materials · Mining | $630.00M | — |
| 11 | Reitir fasteignafelag hf.REITIR · XICE | Real Estate · Commercial | $540.00M | — |
| 12 | Embla Medical hf.EMBLA · XICE | Health Care · Medical Devices | $485.00M | — |
| 13 | Oculis Holding AGOCS · XICE | Health Care · Ophthalmology | $465.00M | OCS |
| 14 | Heimar hf.HEIMAR · XICE | Real Estate · Residential | $460.00M | — |
| 15 | Hampiðjan hf.HAMP · XICE | Industrials · Fishing Equipment | $383.00M | — |
| 16 | Kvika banki hf.KVIKA · XICE | Financials · Investment Banking | $377.00M | — |
| 17 | Sjova-Almennar tryggingar hf.SJOVA · XICE | Financials · Insurance | $352.00M | — |
| 18 | Eik fasteignafelag hf.EIK · XICE | Real Estate · Commercial | $343.00M | — |
| 19 | Eimskipafelog Islands hf.EIM · XICE | Industrials · Shipping and Logistics | $307.00M | — |
| 20 | Icelandair Group hf.ICEAIR · XICE | Industrials · Airlines | $220.00M | — |
| 21 | Reginn hf.REGINN · XICE | Real Estate · Diversified | $195.00M | — |
| 22 | Siminn hf.SIMINN · XICE | Telecommunications | $190.00M | — |
| 23 | Skel fjárfestingafelag hf.SKEL · XICE | Financials · Holding Company | $175.00M | — |
| 24 | Olgerðin Egill Skallagrímsson hf.OLGERD · XICE | Consumer Staples · Beverages | $150.00M | — |
| 25 | Kaldalon hf.KALD · XICE | Real Estate · Diversified | $110.00M | — |
| 26 | Nova Klubburinn hf.NOVA · XICE | Telecommunications | $95.00M | — |
| 27 | Iceland Seafood International hf.ICESEA · XICE | Consumer Staples · Seafood Distribution | $85.00M | — |
US-traded ETFs
Funds listed in the US that give exposure to this market, the simplest route for many US investors.
| ETF | Scope | Expense ratioannual % | Exposure% of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLCRGlacierShares Nasdaq Iceland ETF · GlacierShares | Single-country | — | 100% |
| FNDESchwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Large Company Index ETF · Charles Schwab | Broad EM | 0.39% | — |
| FMiShares MSCI Frontier and Select EM ETF · BlackRock iShares | Broad EM | 0.79% | — |
Local exchange & access
| Exchange | Nasdaq Iceland, the sole stock exchange in Iceland, is operated by Nasdaq Nordic and uses the trading code XICE. |
| Code | XICE |
| Website | www.nasdaq.com/solutions/nasdaq-nordic-markets/iceland |
| Currency | ISK |
Local broker access
Nasdaq Iceland (XICE) is accessible to international investors through Icelandic banks and brokers such as Arion banki, Islandsbanki, and Kvika banki, as well as some international brokers with Nordic market access. Settlement is in ISK. Foreign ownership limits on some Icelandic securities were tightened in 2025, which MSCI noted as a deterioration in its 2025 Global Market Accessibility Review. The GlacierShares Nasdaq Iceland ETF (GLCR), launched March 2025 on a US exchange, provides indirect exposure for US-based investors.
Global brokers with foreign-market access
- Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
- Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
- Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
- Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.
Listed for convenience only. Not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.
Relocation & residency
Investment visa / residency programme
Grants No formal investment-migration programme
Iceland does not offer any golden visa, residency by investment, or citizenship by investment programme. Purchasing property or investing in a company does not provide a direct pathway to Icelandic residence or citizenship. Traditional residence permits and naturalization are the only available routes.
Need help applying? Specialist investment-migration advisers such as Henley & Partners.
Foreign-investor access
Iceland is a member of the EEA and the Schengen Area, meaning EEA and Swiss nationals may live and work in Iceland freely. Non-EEA nationals must obtain a residence permit through employment, study, or family reunification. No investor visa category exists. The cost of living is high relative to most European countries, and the official language is Icelandic, though English is widely spoken.
US-listed ADRs & cross-listings
Companies from this country whose shares also trade in the US, investable in a normal US brokerage account.
| Company | US ticker | Local ticker | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvotech hf. | ALVO | ALVO | Alvotech is directly listed on the Nasdaq US exchange as ALVO in addition to its primary listing on Nasdaq Iceland. It is not a depositary receipt but a direct dual listing. The company is a biosimilar drug developer headquartered in Reykjavik. |
| JBT Marel Corporation | JBTM | JBTM | JBT Marel Corporation, formed by the January 2025 merger of John Bean Technologies and Marel hf., is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as JBTM and on Nasdaq Iceland. The Icelandic listing gives Icelandic shareholders continued domestic market access. This is a dual listing, not a depositary receipt structure. |
| Oculis Holding AG | OCS | OCS | Oculis is a Swiss-incorporated ophthalmology biopharmaceutical company dual-listed on Nasdaq Iceland and the Nasdaq US exchange. It is not Icelandic by incorporation but is listed on Nasdaq Iceland and classified within the Icelandic equity market by some data providers. US investors can access it directly via the OCS ticker. |