The ninth forum, Astana Finance Days 2026, held under the slogan 'Making an Impact. Capital in Action,' took place on September 9–10 at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). The event attracted approximately 8000 participants from 90 different countries, including investors, representatives from the financial and technology sectors, regulators, state and quasi-state institutions, as well as international companies.
The main business agenda of the forum focused on developing capital markets and investment products, improving legal and regulatory frameworks, implementing institutional-scale innovations, financing the real sector of the economy, and expanding regional and cross-border cooperation.
Renat Bekturov, Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre, emphasized that in modern conditions, competition for capital requires not only attractive terms but also the ability to turn opportunities into real projects and investments. He noted that the essence of Astana Finance Days 2026 is to unite investors, regulators, and businesses to bring ideas into practical solutions, investment projects, and long-term partnerships.
Financial System in Conditions of Technological Transformation
The first day of the forum included sessions dedicated to the role of sovereign and institutional capital in economic growth, the future of financial infrastructure, tokenization of real assets, investor protection, sustainable finance, and the development of real sector projects.
The central event was the plenary session 'Transformation of the Financial Architecture.' Participants included Timur Suleimenov, Chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan; AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov; Timur Turlov, CEO 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. Attendees discussed the impact of technology, regulation, and new models of capital movement on the structure of financial markets, with a special focus on digital assets, the digital tenge, crypto reserves, AI regulation, and the development of decentralized finance.
Ben Powell, Managing Director of BlackRock Investment Institute and Chief Investment Strategist for the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region, presented a separate perspective on capital market development. In the session 'Sovereign and Institutional Capital as Catalysts for Growth and Strategic Transformation,' participants examined the role of public and institutional investors in supporting long-term economic development, structural transformation, and the implementation of large-scale projects.
Tokenization and Digital Infrastructure
The technological program of the forum continued with sessions titled 'The Future of Financial Infrastructure' and 'Capital Without Borders: Tokenization and New Financial Infrastructure.' Representatives from the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, 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 of capital movement.
Another part of the program was dedicated to financing small mining companies and early-stage projects. Experts and representatives of financial institutions spoke at the session 'Financing Small Mining Projects: Challenges and Opportunities.' In April 2026, AIFC launched the Small Mining Platform to attract investment in early-stage exploration projects. Out of 48 submitted applications, 23 projects were selected and presented to potential investors during the pitching session at the forum.
Green Finance and Regional Cooperation
Astana Finance Days 2026 also served as a platform for the second annual meeting of the Turkmen Council on Green Finance, gathering representatives of financial regulators, government bodies, and development institutions from Turkic countries. Participants included Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States; Bagdad Amreev, President of the Turkic Investment Fund, as well as representatives from the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, Kyrgyz Stock Exchange, Hungarian National Bank, AIFC Green Finance Center, and other organizations.
The issue of financial security was addressed in the session 'Financial Intelligence in the Digital Age: From Digital Assets to AI.' Representatives of international and financial organizations analyzed the impact of digital technologies on identifying financial risks and cooperation between the public and private sectors.
A separate track was dedicated to the legal infrastructure of AIFC. 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.
Within the regional track of the forum, the AFSA roundtable 'From Fragmentation to Integration: Regional Cooperation for Strengthening Financial Markets' took place. The discussion brought together 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 studied the main obstacles 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 became part of a broader dialogue on financial integration and expanding cross-border investment cooperation in Central Asia.
AIFC Introduces Intelligent Digital Assistant
For the first time at the forum, AIFC introduced AIDA—a multilingual intelligent assistant developed by AIFC to support clients and help users navigate the services of the Astana International Financial Centre. The system processes text and voice requests, providing information about registration in AIFC, applicable requirements, procedures, and available services. If necessary, it directs users to the relevant department or specialist. Forum participants were able to test AIDA in various languages in real-time.
New Agreements and Investment Projects
It is expected that several documents aimed at strengthening international regulatory and investment cooperation will be signed at the forum. These include memorandums of understanding between the National Bank of Georgia and the AIFC Financial Services Authority (AFSA), as well as between AFSA and the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (HANFA).
As part of the grain tokenization project within the AIFC jurisdiction, agreements are also planned 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 Center, which brings together financial institutions, banks, asset management companies, as well as fintech and technology projects. Participants showcase their products and solutions and have the opportunity to establish direct contact with potential investors and partners.
Astana Finance Days 2026 provided a platform to discuss 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 also contributed to strengthening regional financial cooperation and expanding investment ties between Central Asian countries and global markets.



