Astana Finance Days 2026 Draws 8,000 Participants From 90 Countries

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The ninth Astana Finance Days 2026 forum, held under the theme “Delivering Impact. Capital in Action,” is taking place on 9–10 September at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).

The event has brought together about 8,000 participants from 90 countries, including investors, representatives of the financial and technology sectors, regulators, government and quasi-government institutions, and international businesses.

The forum’s business agenda focuses on the development of capital markets and investment products, improving regulatory and legal frameworks, introducing institutional-scale innovations, financing the real sector of the economy, and expanding regional and cross-border cooperation.

“Today, competition for capital requires not only attractive conditions, but also the ability to turn opportunities into real projects and investments. This is the essence of Astana Finance Days 2026 — Delivering Impact. Capital in Action. We bring together investors, regulators and businesses so that ideas can become practical solutions, investment projects and long-term partnerships,” said Renat Bekturov, governor of the Astana International Financial Centre.

Financial system amid technological transformation

The first day of the forum featured sessions on the role of sovereign and institutional capital in economic growth, the future of financial infrastructure, real-world asset tokenization, investor protection, sustainable finance and the development of real-sector projects.

The central event was the plenary session “Transforming the Architecture of Finance.” Participants included Timur Suleimenov, chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan; AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov; Timur Turlov, chief executive officer of Freedom Holding Corp.; Balaji Srinivasan, founder of Network School and author of The Network State; and Sergio Mello, global head of stablecoin solutions at Anchorage Digital.

Participants discussed the impact of technology, regulation and new models of capital flows on the structure of financial markets. Particular attention was paid to digital assets, the digital tenge, crypto reserves, artificial intelligence regulation and the development of decentralized finance.

BlackRock Investment Institute Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist for the Middle East and Asia-Pacific Ben Powell presented a separate perspective on the development of capital markets.

At the session “Sovereign and Institutional Capital as Catalysts for Growth and Strategic Transformation,” participants examined the role of government and institutional investors in supporting long-term economic development, structural transformation and the implementation of large-scale projects.

Tokenization and digital infrastructure

The forum’s technology program continued with sessions titled “The Future of Financial Infrastructure” and “Capital Without Borders: Tokenization and the New Financial Infrastructure.”

Representatives of the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, the National Payment Corporation of Kazakhstan, Mastercard, Janus Henderson Investors, Bir Ecosystem, Phillip Securities, Solana, The Open Platform and Commodity Chain discussed the development of payment infrastructure, digital assets and new mechanisms for capital flows.

Another part of the program focused on financing junior mining companies and early-stage mining projects. Representatives of specialized companies and financial institutions spoke at the session “Financing Junior Mining Projects: Challenges and Opportunities.”

In April 2026, the AIFC launched the Junior Mining Platform to attract investment into early-stage exploration projects. Of the 48 applications received, 23 projects passed the selection process and were presented to potential investors during a forum pitch session.

Green finance and regional cooperation

Astana Finance Days 2026 also hosted the second annual meeting of the Turkic Green Finance Council, bringing together representatives of financial regulators, government bodies and development institutions from Turkic countries.

Participants included Kubanychbek Omuraliev, secretary general of the Organization of Turkic States; Baghdad Amreyev, president of the Turkic Investment Fund; as well as representatives of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange, the Hungarian National Bank, the AIFC Green Finance Centre and other organizations.

Financial security was addressed at the session “Financial Intelligence in the Digital Age: From Digital Assets to AI.” Representatives of international and financial organizations examined the impact of digital technologies on identifying financial risks and cooperation between the public and private sectors.

A separate track focused on the AIFC’s legal infrastructure. The session “Capital in Action: How the AIFC Court and IAC Protect Investor Rights” examined international dispute resolution mechanisms, digital tools and institutional approaches aimed at increasing transparency and investor confidence.

Uzbekistan takes part in regional financial dialogue

The forum’s regional track continued with the AFSA roundtable “From Fragmentation to Integration: Regional Cooperation to Strengthen Financial Markets.”

The discussion brought together representatives of financial regulators from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Georgia, as well as international financial organizations and development institutions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation.

Participants examined key barriers to cross-border capital flows, mutual recognition, expanding access to financial markets, information exchange and strengthening supervisory cooperation.

Uzbekistan’s participation in the regional track of Astana Finance Days 2026 formed part of a broader dialogue on financial integration and expanding cross-border investment cooperation in Central Asia.

AIFC unveils intelligent digital assistant

For the first time at the forum, the AIFC presented AIDA — AIFC Intelligent Digital Assistant, a multilingual intelligent assistant designed to provide customer support and help users navigate the services of the Astana International Financial Centre.

The system processes text and voice queries and provides information on AIFC registration, applicable requirements, procedures and available services. When necessary, it directs users to the relevant department or specialist.

Forum participants were able to test AIDA in different languages in real time.

New agreements and investment projects

The forum is expected to see the signing of a number of documents aimed at strengthening international regulatory and investment cooperation.

These include memorandums of understanding between the National Bank of Georgia and the AIFC Financial Services Regulatory Committee (AFSA), as well as between AFSA and the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (HANFA).

As part of a project to tokenize grain within the AIFC jurisdiction, agreements are also scheduled to be signed between Tech Hub Limited and Concordia Group Ltd., and between Tech Hub Limited and Aitas Agro Ltd.

An important part of the forum is the AFD Exhibition Hub, which brings together financial institutions, banks, investment and asset management companies, and fintech and technology projects. Participants are presenting their products and solutions and have the opportunity to establish direct contacts with potential investors and partners.

Astana Finance Days 2026 has provided a platform for discussing key trends shaping the global financial system, including digitalization, asset tokenization, the development of artificial intelligence, green finance and cross-border capital flows.

The forum has also contributed to strengthening regional financial cooperation and expanding investment ties between Central Asian countries and international markets.