Editing Belfast (section)

=== Fintech and cybersecurity ===
From the 1990s, Belfast established itself as a significant location for call centres and for other back-office services.<ref name="The Times">{{cite web |title=Northern Ireland – Overview |url=http://www.bcglocations.com/uk/northernireland/northernireland_intro.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20061104103706/http://www.bcglocations.com/uk/northernireland/northernireland_intro.html |archive-date=4 November 2006 |access-date=12 August 2010 |website=The Times |publisher=Bcglocations.com }}</ref> Attracting U.S. operators such as [[Citigroup|Citi]], [[Allstate]], [[Liberty Mutual]], [[Aflac]] and [[Kx Systems|FD Technologies (Kx Systems)]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Financial and professional services {{!}} Invest in Belfast |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/investinbelfast/key-sectors/financial-and-professional-services |access-date=15 February 2024 |website=Belfast City Council |archive-date=15 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215120959/https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/investinbelfast/key-sectors/financial-and-professional-services |url-status=live }}</ref> it as since been identified by the [[HM Treasury|UK Treasury]] as "key [[fintech]] [financial technology] hub".<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Dea |first=Blathnaid |date=5 December 2022 |title=Up there with the best: Belfast's reputation as a fintech hiring hub |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/belfast-fintech-hiring-hub |access-date=15 February 2024 |website=Silicon Republic |archive-date=15 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215121000/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/belfast-fintech-hiring-hub |url-status=live }}</ref> Fintech's key areas (its "ABCD") are [[artificial intelligence]], [[blockchain]], [[cloud computing]], and [[big data]].<ref name="LaiLiao2020">{{cite journal |last1=Lai |first1=T. L. |last2=Liao |first2=S.-W. |last3=Wong |first3=S. P. S. |last4=Xu |first4=H. |date=2020 |title=Statistical models and stochastic optimization in financial technology and investment science |url=https://tzelai.ckirby.su.domains/pubs/2020_AMSA_05_02_A05.pdf |journal=Annals of Mathematical Sciences and Applications |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=317–345 |doi=10.4310/AMSA.2020.v5.n2.a5 |issn=2380-288X |s2cid=240302839 |archive-date=9 July 2022 |access-date=14 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709180952/https://tzelai.ckirby.su.domains/pubs/2020_AMSA_05_02_A05.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The sector's principal constraint, cyber security, has been addressed since 2004 by the Queens University Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (IECIT), and its [[Centre for Secure Information Technologies]] (CSIT).<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 November 2019 |title=News {{!}} ROLLS-ROYCE ANNOUNCES UK UNIVERSITY TO JOIN CYBER TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH NETWORK {{!}} ECIT {{!}} Queen's University Belfast |url=http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/ECIT/News/ROLLS-ROYCEANNOUNCESUKUNIVERSITYTOJOINCYBERTECHNOLOGYRESEARCHNETWORK.html |access-date=13 February 2024 |website=qub.ac.uk }}</ref> The IECIT is the anchor tenant at [[Catalyst (science park)]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Catalyst : Titanic Quarter Belfast |url=https://titanicquarter.com/work/office/catalyst/ |access-date=13 February 2024 |archive-date=13 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213142756/https://titanicquarter.com/work/office/catalyst/ |url-status=live }}</ref> in the Titanic Quarter, which hosts a cluster of companies seeking to offer innovative cyber-security solutions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 November 2019 |title=About us {{!}} ECIT {{!}} Queen's University Belfast |url=http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/ECIT/Aboutus/index.html |access-date=13 February 2024 |website=qub.ac.uk }}</ref>