ASTANA, September 17: Astana Finance Days 2026 brought together more than 8,000 participants from 90 countries, reinforcing Kazakhstan’s push to position itself as a major financial and investment hub connecting Central Asia with global capital markets.
The ninth edition of the annual forum, held on September 9–10 at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), attracted investors, regulators, financial and technology companies, government institutions and international businesses. Companies represented at the gathering collectively manage more than $26 trillion in assets, according to the AIFC.
Leading international financial institutions represented at the forum included BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Capital Group, Brookfield, E Fund Management, Rothschild & Co., IFC Asset Management Company and Hong Kong Investment Corporation. BlackRock alone manages more than $15 trillion of the assets represented, the AIFC said.
Held under the theme “Delivering Impact. Capital in Action,” the forum focused on turning investment discussions into projects, transactions and longer-term partnerships, particularly across Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region.
3.7 billion yuan in Dim Sum bonds listed
One of the major capital-market developments announced during Astana Finance Days was the listing of 3.7 billion Chinese yuan worth of Dim Sum bonds on the Astana International Exchange (AIX).
The bonds, issued by the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, were listed in two tranches with five- and 10-year maturities. The development expands the range of yuan-denominated instruments available through AIX and is intended to strengthen financial links between Kazakhstan and China.
Discussions at the forum also covered the transformation of financial infrastructure, digital assets, artificial intelligence, sovereign and institutional capital, Islamic finance, aviation finance, private equity and regional financial integration.
Central Asia’s first exchange-based carbon credit trading
Astana Finance Days 2026 also saw AIX launch what it described as Central Asia’s first exchange-based trading in voluntary carbon credits.
Trading began on September 10 in carbon credits verified under the international Verified Carbon Standard. According to AIX, the platform provides transparent trading rules and market-based price discovery while potentially improving access to financing for climate projects.
The carbon-credit initiative became AIX’s second environmental product after I-REC renewable-energy certificates.
The two-day gathering also produced 13 letters of intent from sector-focused pitch sessions, new regulatory agreements and the first aircraft leasing transaction by Kazakhstan’s cargo airline Jupiter Jet with AIFC support.
A series of agreements involving financial regulators, exchanges, technology companies and sustainable-finance organisations were also concluded during the event.
Kazakhstan seeks stronger global investment links
AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov said the financial centre’s objective is to connect Kazakhstan and Central Asia with international capital while also giving Kazakh businesses, investors and talent greater access to opportunities in global markets.
The forum’s agenda reflected that ambition, with participants examining cross-border financial products, investment corridors, capital-market integration and closer regulatory cooperation across Central Asia. Representatives from Kazakhstan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated alongside international development and financial institutions.
The event also showcased new financial and technological initiatives, including the proposed AIFC Reinsurance Hub and AIDA, a multilingual digital assistant designed to provide information about AIFC registration, procedures and services.
Astana Finance Days has expanded significantly since its launch in 2018. The 2025 forum attracted more than 5,500 participants from 82 countries, compared with more than 8,000 from 90 countries this year.
With global asset managers, regulators and businesses gathered in Kazakhstan’s capital, the 2026 forum highlighted Astana’s efforts to deepen its role in international finance while creating new channels for investment and cross-border cooperation across Central Asia.