Saxo UK, the leading global platform for online trading and investing, has partnered with Female Invest to mark 50 years since women in the UK gained the right to open a bank account without a man’s permission.

The collaboration forms part of “A Seat at the Table”, a powerful new public installation in London that celebrates progress towards financial equality while underlining how much further there is to go.

Unveiled on 12th November, the 50th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act, the installation features 50 empty chairs encircling a single large table – each chair representing a year since the landmark legislation was passed. Together, they symbolise the space women have fought to claim in the financial world, and the ongoing challenge of closing the gender gap in wealth and investment.

Despite decades of progress, women today still hold just one-third of the UK’s wealth, earn less on average than men, and remain underrepresented among investors. Saxo UK’s partnership with Female Invest reflects a shared mission to empower more women to take control of their finances and invest with confidence.

Andrew Bresler, CEO at Saxo UK, said: “At Saxo, we believe financial markets should be open to everyone. It’s sobering to know that only fifty years ago, a woman needed permission from a man to open a bank account. We’re proud to stand alongside Female Invest to celebrate how far we’ve come and to keep pushing for true equality in financial opportunity.”

The installation was created by Female Invest in collaboration with Saxo UK, Revolut, InvestEngine and Yonder – four financial firms united by the belief that inclusion is the foundation of progress. Together, they aim to spark a nationwide conversation about women’s financial freedom, the barriers that remain, and the collective responsibility to dismantle them.

Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, Co-Founder of Female Invest, commented: “It’s easy to think of the 1970s as ancient history. But when your mother or grandmother needed her husband’s signature to open a bank account, that’s not history, that’s the world we were born into. This anniversary isn’t just about looking back. It’s about asking why women are still catching up. Progress doesn’t move unless we push it forward.

“The fact that our mothers couldn’t own a credit card reminds us how recent this change is, and how fragile it remains.”

Saxo UK’s momentum among women investors continues to build. Following the introduction of a refreshed pricing model and the launch of its Flexible ISA, the platform has recorded a 132% year-on-year increase in new global trading clients. In the UK, growth is being driven by younger and more diverse investors: under-25s now account for 15% of new sign-ups (up from 9% in 2023), while the proportion of new female clients has tripled year-on-year to 18%.