Astana Finance Days Forum Sees Listing of 3.7 bln Yuan on Astana International Exchange
Astana Finance Days 2026 results: US$26 trillion in assets under management, 8000 participants from 90 countries and special guest Dimash Qudaibergen
Astana: The two-day Astana Finance Days 2006 forum featured the listing of 3.7 billion yuan in Dim Sum bonds and the launch of Central Asia ‘s first exchange-based carbon credit trading. Sector-focused pitch sessions resulted in 23 letters of intent, while new cross-border regulatory agreements and investment initiatives were announced. World renowned Kazakh singer Dinash Oudaibergen attended the forum as a special guest.
The ninth Astana Finance Days 2026: Delivering Impact. Capital in Action was held at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) on9-10 September. The forum brought together 8,000 participants from 90 countries, including investors, financial and technology companies, regulators, government institutions and international businesses.
Participants included representatives of BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Capital Group, Brookfield, E Fund Management, Rothschild & Co., IFC Asset Management Company and Hong Kong Investment Corporation. The companies represented at the forum collectively manage more than US$26 trillion in assets, including over US$15 trillion managed by BlackRock.
“The AIFC was established as an institution that speaks the language of global markets and connects Kazakhstan and Central Asia with international capital. Yet capital matters only when it is put to work: financing new companies and projects, helping businesses expand into international markets, and enabling people to turn their ideas and ambitions into reality. This is what Capital in Action means. We want capital to flow in both directions through the AIFC: international investment into Kazakhstan and the region, while Kazakh companies, investors, and talent gain access to opportunities around the world. Our ultimate goal is not simply to attract capital, but to translate it into growth, new markets, and new opportunities for Kazakhstan,” said Renat Bekturov, Governor of the AIFC.
The forum focused on the transformation of financial infrastructure, digital assets and artificial intelligence, sovereign and institutional capital, cross-border market connectivity and Kazakhstan’s role as a regional financial and trade hub. Speakers included Timur Suleimenov, Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan; Nurlan Zhakupov, Chairman of the Management Board of Samruk-Kazyna; Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding Corp.; Balaji Srinivasan, founder of Network School; and representatives of Black Rock, Goldman Sachs, Brookfield, Bloomberg and Anchorage Digital.
One of the forum’s key capital-market outcomes was the listing on the Astana International Exchange (AIX) of two tranches of Development Bank of Kazakhstan Dim Sum bonds with five- and ten-year maturities. The total issuance amounted to 3.7 billion Chinese yuan, with coupon rates of 2.25% and 2.75%. The transaction expanded the range of yuan-denominated instruments available on AIX and created new opportunities for attracting Chinese capital.
AIX also became the first exchange in Central Asia to launch trading in voluntary carbon credits verified under the international Verified Carbon Standard. The new instrument provides transparent trading rules and market-based pricing while broadening access to finance for climate projects across the region.
Investment in the real economy was another major focus. During Junior Mining Investment Day, 23 early-stage mining projects were presented to investors and strategic partners. The session resulted in 4 letters of intent for further discussions on potential financing and cooperation.
The pilot Creative Pitch Day 2026 attracted more than 100 applications in film, music, game development and digital content. 19 shortlisted projects were presented to investors, resulting in 9 letters of intent.
The AIFC also advanced new financing models for creative industries through a framework agreement between Tech Hub Ltd. and ōzen X. The parties plan to develop a music royalty tokenisation platform within the AIFC jurisdiction, using a catalogue of 7,000 music tracks to offer artists a new way to raise capital against future royalty income.
In aviation finance, the AIFC presented a regional pilot report examining aircraft acquisition and leasing models and the investment potential of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The AIFC Aviation Finance Hub supported Kazakhstan -based cargo airline Jupiter Jet in completing its first aircraft leasing transaction with a US lessor. The AIFC and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan also signed a memorandum to explore sustainable aviation fuel projects.
Sustainable finance remained high on the agenda. The AIFC Green Finance Centre, UNDP and the Partnership for Action on Green Economy presented further work on Kazakhstan’s Blue Taxonomy, national guidelines for blue bonds and criteria for projects related to water security and aquatic ecosystems.
A number of memoranda of understanding were signed during the two-day forum. They covered mutual access to financial markets, regulatory cooperation, sustainable aviation fuel, green finance, agricultural tokenisation, creative industries, digital assets and cooperation between AIX and the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange.
The forum concluded with the AIFC Awards 2026, recognising 14 companies, organisations and experts for their contribution to the AIFC’s financial, investment and legal ecosystem and its international partnerships.
Astana Finance Days 2026 was held with the support of its partners. Freedom was the forum’s Gold Partner; Solidcore Resources, KAZ Minerals and ITS were Silver Partners; LMAX Group and Teniz Capital Investment Banking were Bronze Partners; Allur was the Industry Partner; Binance was the Crypto Partner; Mastercard was the Fintech Partner; Air Astana was the Official Airline; and Euronews and SCMP were the International Media Partners. Other partners included Orient Capital Management, Dana Capital Limited, BI Group, CICC, Roemer Capital (Europe), Masdar, E Fund Management (Hong Kong), Abylai Global Solutions, Symphony Digital Assets, Fitch Ratings, AmCham Kazakhstan, Solana, Halyk Finance, MYD Production, Atlas Capital, PwC, Anchorage Digital, Alif, Jupiter Jet, RCS Group, Zubr Capital, Vitis Capital, Amicorp, Code Coin, and others.
The results of Astana Finance Days 2026 highlighted the forum’s role in connecting international capital, regulatory expertise and regional projects through new financial instruments, agreements and investment opportunities.
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is an independent jurisdiction where investors and businesses can access emerging opportunities in Kazakhstan and Central Asia within a transparent and sustainable environment based on the principles of English common law.
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