AIFC Hosts Business Event for Entrepreneurs in Hong Kong

On 22 May, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) held the AIFC Connect business event in Hong Kong, aimed at strengthening business ties between Astana and Hong Kong, as well as fostering new partnerships and involving entrepreneurs from Hong Kong in joint projects through the AIFC platform. Over 120 representatives from Hong Kong companies participated in the event, including senior management from banks, investment and insurance companies, and asset management firms. 

The AIFC presented its capabilities for conducting financial activities, structuring companies, and facilitating business transactions. To this end, a series of discussions with industry experts were organised at the AIFC Connect event, where insights and forecasts about the future of Kazakhstan’s capital markets, the landscape of financial services in Central Asia, and the unique role of the AIFC in providing investor protection mechanisms and resolving international disputes were shared. 

The event opened with welcome remarks by Renat Bekturov, Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), and Nicholas Ho, HK Government Commissioner of Belt and Road. This was followed by a presentation from Yang Zhao, Managing Director of the CICC Global Institute, who provided an overview of trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and China. 

Renat Bekturov, AIFC Governor, commented: “With its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan has direct access to the key markets of the Eurasian Economic Union, China, and the Caspian region. The shifting geopolitical landscape is driving countries to explore new routes to external markets and reassess traditional logistical pathways. In this context, the Middle Corridor, linking Europe and Asia, is gaining prominence as a resilient route for diversifying and strengthening trade and economic relations across Eurasia. The Astana International Financial Centre offers an effective platform for structuring and supporting such large-scale infrastructure initiatives.” 

The panel discussion “Financial services in Kazakhstan and Central Asia: can AIFC become a game-changer?” focused on the impact of the AIFC on the development of financial services in Central Asia, with Dr. Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), moderating the session. Speakers included Chingiz Kanapyanov, CEO of ITS; Arman Batayev, CEO of HQB and Founder of OD Consulting; Hill Wang, Founder of Anchor X; and Vladimir Savov, Chief Markets Officer of Astana Financial Services Authority. 

A session titled “Capital Market in Kazakhstan: what the future holds for global investors” was moderated by Assel Mukazhanova, CEO of the Astana International Exchange (AIX), and featured Murat Koshenov, Deputy CEO Halyk Bank, Darkhan Abdimoldayev, Financial Controller of NAC Kazatomprom, Jin Zhongyi, Shanghai Stock Exchange Hong Kong Representative, and Barry Chan, Managing Director of HK China International Capital Corporation Limited. 

The third panel discussion addressed investor rights protection and legislation within the AIFC. The session was moderated by Christopher Campbell-Holt, Registrar and Chief Executive of the AIFC Court & IAC. Expert opinions were shared by Gulnur Nurkeyeva, Managing Partner and Head of the China Desk Grata International and Laurence Li, Senior Counsel at Temple Chambers. 

Additionally, Asset Onglassov, Chief of Products at the AIFC Authority, and Yerzhan Mussin, CEO of Fonte Capital, presented to Hong Kong’s business community the AIFC experts’ report on the asset management market in Kazakhstan. 

Currently, 14 companies from Hong Kong are registered with the AIFC, operating in sectors such as construction, professional, scientific and technical activities, financial services, insurance, ICT, transport, education, mining, and more. Furthermore, 725 Chinese companies are active within the AIFC across sectors like trade, ICT, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, mining, professional, scientific, technical activities, transport, logistics, and construction.  

Notably, according to GFCI the AIFC is the leading financial centre in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. Since its establishment in 2018, the AIFC has attracted over USD 14.7 billion in investments into Kazakhstan’s economy. Over 3,900 companies from 80+ countries, including the USA, the UK, China, Hong Kong, Turkiye, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and others, are registered within the AIFC’s jurisdiction. 

Background Information:       

The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is an independent jurisdiction offering a favourable legal and regulatory environment, as well as developed infrastructure for starting and conducting business, attracting investment, creating jobs, and fostering economic development in Kazakhstan. www.aifc.kz      

AIFC Connect is an exclusive meeting format where experts and participants within finance and industrial sectors come together to exchange views on the AIFC’s initiatives and the investment opportunities Kazakhstan offers for the business. AIFC Connect events were held in Singapore in 2023, and in London and the Dubai in 2024, in Seoul in 2025.