ALMATY – Kazakhstan presented a series of key infrastructure, financial, and technology initiatives during AIFC Connect: Abu Dhabi 2025, a business forum co-organized by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UAE, and the Embassy of the UAE to Kazakhstan on Dec. 9 in Abu Dhabi.
Photo credit: AIFC
The event aimed to deepen investment cooperation, highlight Kazakhstan’s high-potential projects, and introduce opportunities within the AIFC’s growing financial ecosystem, according to the center’s press service.
The forum, held in partnership with GWM Capital and International Trading System (ITS), coincided with Abu Dhabi Finance Week, one of the region’s flagship gatherings for investors and financial institutions.
Deepening investment ties
The UAE remains one of Kazakhstan’s most significant economic partners, ranking among the top ten foreign investors with $4.3 billion in cumulative inflows. Today, 462 Emirati companies operate in Kazakhstan across finance, logistics, and technology.
During the event, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the UAE Rauan Zhumabek emphasized the rapid growth in Emirati investment, noting that flows exceeded $1 billion in 2025.
“This trend reflects the high trust our Emirati partners place in Kazakhstan and signals that our investment climate is becoming increasingly attractive for major capital,” he said.
AIFC as a regional financial hub
AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov highlighted the center’s expanding role in structuring international transactions and enabling large-scale infrastructure projects.
“The AIFC serves as a reliable platform for integrating financial markets from AIX joining the Tabadul digital hub to the first dirham-denominated bond issuances in Kazakhstan. Today, 49 UAE companies operate in our jurisdiction, delivering projects across finance, ICT, transport, and industry,” he said.
Since 2018, the AIFC has attracted $19.3 billion to the Kazakh economy. It remains the leading financial centre in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, according to the GFCI 38 rating.
Infrastructure, sovereign investment, and climate agenda
Speakers underscored Kazakhstan’s role as a strategic “land bridge” connecting Europe and Asia, and a reliable long-term partner for sovereign and institutional investors. They highlighted the AIFC’s regulatory regime as a key factor supporting cross-border capital flows.
Kazakhstan’s privatization program and shift toward clean energy, low-carbon transport, and modernization of logistics corridors were identified as new areas of investor interest.
Strengthening regulatory cooperation
In 2025, the AIFC was recognized as one of the most advanced jurisdictions globally in implementing IOSCO digital-asset regulatory standards, becoming the highest-scoring participant among 20 reviewed jurisdictions.
“AFSA’s balanced, innovation-friendly regulatory approach is the reason AIFC is internationally recognized for combining progressiveness with investor protection,” said AFSA Chief Legal Officer Liya Akzhanova.
Recent milestones include the launch of a direct connection between Nasdaq Dubai and the AIX central depositories, and the Eurasian Development Bank’s debut issuance of dirham-denominated bonds on AIX.
Representatives from GWM Capital and the AIFC Green Finance Center also presented successful cases of companies that have worked through the AIFC platform, highlighting opportunities to expand investor presence across Central Asia.
