There is no single FTSE-wide eligibility test. First identify the exact index—such as the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (GEIS), FTSE UK Index Series or Russell US indexes—then apply that series’ current ground rules to the specific company and share line. A stock can meet the basic eligibility screens and still not be selected: rankings, size bands, buffers and review rules also shape membership.
Start with the exact index series
“FTSE” can refer to index families with different geographic universes, security rules and thresholds. The Russell US indexes are also maintained by FTSE Russell, but their criteria should not be applied to GEIS or FTSE UK. Find the name of the index you mean, then use its current methodology rather than a generic FTSE checklist or a third-party screener.
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For a current assessment, check the document version and effective date. The relevant published materials here are the September 2026 FTSE GEIS Ground Rules, version 14.4; the August 2026 Russell US Ground Rules, version 7.2; and the FTSE UK inclusion-criteria notice effective from the June 2026 review. Rules and thresholds can change, so confirm the latest applicable documents before relying on a result.
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- Identify the company and security line. Record the issuer, its country assignment under the index rules, listing venue and exact type of security. A company with multiple listed equity lines may have each line assessed separately; do not assume one eligible line makes all its lines eligible.
- Check listing, country and security-type rules. Confirm that the selected series accepts the listing market and type of security, and that the issuer qualifies for the relevant country or regional universe. The Russell US rules, for example, have their own eligible-exchange and share-type provisions.
- Calculate investable ownership. Read how the methodology treats free float, foreign ownership restrictions and any ownership headroom. The index’s investable share count may differ from total shares outstanding or a headline public-float figure. Where required, check whether enough voting rights are in unrestricted hands.
- Test liquidity and trading history. Apply the methodology’s specified trading window, data source, measurement and cutoff. A recent turnover figure or count of trading days may not match the provider’s test.
- Compare the relevant size measure with the applicable threshold. Establish whether the rule uses total or investable market capitalisation, then use the threshold for the right region and review. Do not substitute a threshold from a different index family.
- Apply timing and index-construction rules. Check rank dates, review dates, fast-entry provisions, size bands and buffers. These determine when a security is assessed and how an eligible security may be ranked or selected.
- Verify consequential cases against provider materials. FTSE Russell describes monitor lists and Enhanced Indicative Review Files as sources of review and eligibility detail. Use the official ground rules and relevant review materials to resolve edge cases; treat a general third-party screen as an indication, not a definitive provider decision.
How the rules differ across three examples
The figures below belong to the named series and documents, not to FTSE indexes universally.
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| Index series | Relevant eligibility details | Timing or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| FTSE Global Equity Index Series (GEIS) | Under the September 2026 Ground Rules v14.4, securities with free float at or below 5% are generally excluded, except where investable market capitalisation is more than ten times the relevant regional inclusion percentage level. Developed-market securities generally need more than 5% of company voting rights in unrestricted hands; emerging-market securities are exempt from this voting-rights requirement. Liquidity, trading history, security eligibility and surveillance status are also screened. | Regional universes are reviewed in March and September using data from the last business day in December and June, respectively. GEIS uses size-segment buffer zones to reduce turnover. Regional thresholds depend on the methodology and review. |
| FTSE UK Index Series | From the June 2026 review, UK- and non-UK-incorporated companies both need at least 10% free float for inclusion, subject to all other criteria. This replaced the former 25% minimum for non-UK-incorporated companies. | Apply the UK series rule effective from the June 2026 review; do not substitute GEIS’s free-float treatment. |
| Russell US indexes | FTSE Russell’s 2025 eligibility explainer lists eligible exchanges, a minimum US$1.00 closing share price on rank day, at least US$30 million total market capitalisation on rank day, a 5% minimum free float and at least 5% of voting rights in unrestricted hands. The August 2026 Ground Rules v7.2 specify a US$175,000 global median average daily dollar trading value threshold for the stated 2026 rank date and an additional share-class liquidity test. | The explainer says existing members use a 30-day average price to reduce turnover. The US$175,000 liquidity figure is tied to the stated 2026 rank date and share-class test, not a permanent minimum. Consult the current ground rules for the complete test and rank/reconstitution timing. |
Why market capitalisation and free float both matter
Total market capitalisation is based on the value of all relevant shares, while investable market capitalisation reflects the portion available to index investors after the methodology’s free-float and foreign-ownership adjustments. That distinction can affect both a size screen and the number of shares used to weight a constituent. A company can therefore appear large by total value yet have a materially different investable value.
For GEIS, the exceptional free-float provision is tied to investable market capitalisation exceeding ten times the relevant regional inclusion percentage level. The regional level itself must be taken from the applicable GEIS rules for the review in question; the 5% free-float figure is not a standalone universal eligibility threshold.
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Separate eligibility from actual inclusion
Eligibility is a screening result, not a promise of entry into a particular index or size segment. Once a security clears the applicable screens, index construction can still depend on its ranking against other eligible securities, the index’s target size bands, buffer rules and review timing. A conclusion should therefore distinguish “passes the eligibility criteria” from “is selected for this index at this review.”
For a specific ticker, state the exact index, security line, market and review cycle, and use company disclosures available at the methodology’s cutoff. Without those details, a general checklist cannot establish a reliable yes-or-no result for an individual stock.
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