Astana rises to 46th in Global Smart Centres Index, Retains Top-Three Position in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Astana has maintained its standing among the top three smart centres in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, ranking second and ahead of cities such as Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Moscow and Istanbul. In the 11th edition of the Smart Centres Index (SCI11), Astana rose six places to 46th in the global rankings. The SCI evaluates the ability of commercial and financial hubs worldwide to foster, apply and scale innovation across sectors including science, energy systems, machine learning, fintech and more. Astana was first included in this index in November 2022, when it ranked 64th overall.
According to the index, the leading SCI centres are those where innovation is supported by a high-performing university sector across all STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), well-considered regulation, and a mature financial and commercial infrastructure.
Renat Bekturov, Governor of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), commented:
«From the outset, AIFC was established as a platform that brings together flexible regulation, financial infrastructure and fintech solutions. Today, the Centre continues to advance regulatory frameworks and principles that support innovation and digital transformation. This includes initiatives involving cryptocurrency exchanges, digital asset trading and crowdfunding. In 2024, AIFC also became a hub for supporting businesses in the creative industries, developing the venture capital ecosystem, and promoting data protection and the use of artificial intelligence. Within our regulatory sandbox, the FinTech Lab, companies are testing their products, while the Tech Hub is evolving into a centre of innovation. The AIFC Academy delivers training for finance and economics professionals tailored to market demand. The Tabys App is expanding its product offering, making investment more accessible to a wider audience».
To date, the AIFC ecosystem includes over 3,900 participants from more than 85 countries. 738 companies operate in the information and communication technology sector. The AIFC also hosts several crowdfunding and cryptocurrency exchange platforms. There are 22 registered digital asset service providers, including two crypto exchanges that now operate under full regulatory supervision.
The SCI Index is compiled using 135 instrumental factors, provided by indicators from the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations. These instrumental data points are combined with 1,772 assessments submitted by 296 respondents through the SCI’s online survey.
In total, the SCI11 reviewed 131 commercial and financial centres. Of these, 76 received a sufficient number of expert evaluations to be included in the final rankings.
Reference:
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is a leading financial hub in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, designed to connect global capital with the vast opportunities of emerging markets. Positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the AIFC combines international best practices with innovative approaches to create a world-class platform for investment, business, and financial services. Since its establishment in 2018, the AIFC has attracted over USD 14.7 bln 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. www.aifc.kz
