The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), with the support of the Astana International Forum, is hosting the eighth edition of Astana Finance Days (AFD) under the theme “Where Capital Empowers the Future”. This year’s event brings together asset managers representing firms with approximately $1.5 trillion in assets under management, stressing the forum’s status as a leading platform for dialogue, deal-making, and collaboration across Kazakhstan and Eurasia.
“Astana Finance Days has established itself as a unique platform across Eurasia for discussing contemporary trends, identifying practical solutions, and forging new partnerships,” Renat Bekturov, Governor of the AIFC, said. “This year, announcements will focus on the expanded use of stablecoins, digital asset listings, social bonds, and Islamic finance. The programme is designed to engage industry professionals and a wider audience interested in finance.”
The forum has a strong track record in shaping financial industry trends. In 2024, discussions on venture studios and creative sector investments led to the registration of two venture funds and three venture studios at the AIFC, including Tolqyn Film Fund, Kazakhstan’s first fund dedicated to feature films and animation. In addition, finance-focused minor programmes developed by the AIFC Academy for leading universities have been integrated into the curricula of SDU and AlmaU.
AFD has also contributed to Kazakhstan’s aviation sector. Following discussions at the 2021 forum, an initiative to create a new aviation hub in the AIFC jurisdiction has been advancing since January 2025, providing a framework for aircraft financing and leasing transactions across Central Asia.
The first day of AFD 2025 opened with a ceremony highlighting Kazakhstan’s culture, hospitality, and values of fairness and trust, which form the foundation of the AIFC’s work. The cultural programme included a Fireside Chat with Bekturov and futurist Brett King, exploring the impact of AI on finance.
“Banking of 2050 will be unrecognizable from that which came before. Stablecoins and real-time payments rails are booming to support autonomous economies,” King noted.
On the margins of the forum, the Turkic Green Finance Council held its inaugural meeting, bringing together regulators and financial institutions from the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) to promote sustainable development and climate resilience, culminating in a joint communique reaffirming their commitments.
The business programme featured a plenary session on Infrastructure Investment to Emerging Markets, moderated by Bekturov, with speakers including Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, Samruk-Kazyna CEO Nurlan Zhakupov, and international finance experts. Discussions focused on attracting long-term investment to Kazakhstan’s energy, transport, and digital connectivity sectors.
Panel sessions explored topics including Kazakhstan’s cooperation with Gulf states, green investment risks, decarbonisation, Islamic finance, asset tokenisation, AI in creativity, and digital transformation in justice and investment protection.
Notable developments included:
- - Listing of Tayyab Finance Sukuk SPC Ltd. on the Astana International Exchange (AIX), with a total issuance of KZT 20bn ($37mn) for Islamic auto-financing products.
- Launch of the Future Minerals Junior Mining Fund CEIC, targeting $100mn in early-stage mining investments.
- Debut tranche of social bonds by Socio-Entrepreneurial Corporation Aktobe, worth KZT 100mn ($185,089), supporting SMEs and agro-industrial projects.
- Launch of an integrated front office at the AIFC Expat Centre for streamlined investor services, including visa, residency, and advisory support.
- Announcement of the Commodity Tokenization pilot project, digitally transforming agricultural assets through blockchain.
- Presentation of a joint study on Belt and Road finance, highlighting practical coordination and improved cross-border capital flows.The forum also facilitated international agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding on data protection with the Qatar International Financial Centre Authority and a stablecoin-based regulatory payment initiative with Bybit Limited as the first signatory. The Entrepreneurship Development Fund Damu and Association of Islamic Finance and Business signed a cooperation agreement, while the AIFC Expat Centre and Air Astana signed a MoU to support foreign investors and professionals.
A distinctive feature of AFD 2025 is the AFD Exhibition Hub, showcasing capital markets and fintech innovations from companies including ATAIX, AnchorX, LMAX Group, Advanced Payment Solutions, Alatau City Invest, Halyk Finance, Brillink, and the CFA Institute.
Organised by the AIFC – ranked number one financial centre in Eastern Europe and Central Asia by the Global Financial Centres Index – Astana Finance Days 2025 is supported by Gold Partners Freedom Broker and KAZ Minerals; Silver Partners Solidcore Resources, ITS, and MYD Production; Bronze Partners ERG, LMAX Group, Teniz Capital Investment Banking; alongside Industrial Partner Allur, Fintech Partner Mastercard, and Partner AlSafi Bank.
AFD continues to connect global capital with the opportunities of emerging markets, providing a platform for investment, innovation, and strategic collaboration across Eurasia.
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