Several state-owned infrastructure companies in Central Asia are preparing for potential listings in Hong Kong, as the financial hub steps up efforts to connect the region’s businesses with international investors.
Central Asia’s fintech ambitions are in the spotlight as a major forum in Tashkent draws to a close, shifting attention from the region’s potential to the investment, infrastructure and global reach needed to turn that vision into growth.
The Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum will bring more than 6,000 policymakers, investors and technology leaders from 74 countries to Tashkent, as Central Asia seeks a bigger role in the global fintech landscape.
A unique architectural monument dating back to the 9th to 12th centuries has been discovered in the village of Gargara, in the Korez village commune in Dangara district in Tajikistan.
Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, with China, Russia, Pakistan, the United States and the United Nations among the key partners on Uzbekistan’s agenda.
Uzbekistan has been named one of the world’s leading destinations for solo travelers, ranking fifth in the 2026 Solo Travel Index compiled by international travel platform Much Better Adventures.
Central Asia is moving towards a more connected digital financial system, as rising cashless payments, expanding digital wallets and growing cross-border trade create demand for faster and cheaper ways to move money across the region.
Central Asia is emerging as a new market for fintech investment, with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan leading the region’s push to attract venture capital, develop startups and build digital financial infrastructure.
The inaugural Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum brought together policymakers, investors and technology companies as Central Asia looks to build a more connected financial system and compete for a bigger share of global fintech investment.
Once associated mainly with Muslim-majority countries, Islamic finance has become a global industry. Its assets reached around $5.98 trillion in 2024, according to ICD-LSEG, as more countries explore Shariah-compliant finance.
Uzbekistan's region of Karakalpakstan is developing three cryptocurrency mining facilities and three data centers with a combined investment of $5.1 billion, as the region seeks to attract larger and higher-quality investments.
Central Asia is moving beyond experiments with digital assets as governments begin putting new forms of digital money into practice.
Uzbekistan is looking to Singapore as it builds a fintech ecosystem designed to attract global investment, technology companies and talent.
Uzbekistan and Georgia have launched an electronic permit system for international road freight, replacing paper documents in a move aimed at speeding up cross-border transport and cutting bureaucracy.
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deepen economic and industrial ties.
Uzbekistan has unveiled a sweeping package of business reforms, including easier access to loans, $1 billion in export support, a three-year moratorium on most inspections and stronger protections for entrepreneurs.
Uzbekistan could lose up to $1.5 billion if escalating Middle East tensions disrupt vital trade and logistics routes through Iran, putting pressure on supply chains and the wider economy.
Central Asia has become a major focus for Eurasian transport investment, with $71.7 billion committed to 114 projects, according to the Eurasian Development Bank’s 2026 Transport Observatory.
Uzbekistan will allow eligible businesses to operate for up to three months without a licence or permit under a new regime aimed at cutting barriers to market entry and attracting investment.
Central Asia’s economy has surpassed $543 billion, driven by Kazakhstan’s economic weight, strong exports and foreign investment, while growing trade across Asia points to an increasingly connected region.
Kyrgyzstan has proposed hosting part of Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries’ warehouse and logistics network, aiming to reduce supply-chain risks and strengthen trade with Russia.
Uzbekistan has secured preferential tariffs for fertiliser and petroleum product shipments through Kazakhstan’s Kuryk port to Georgian ports, as Uzbek cargo volumes across the Caspian continue to rise.
Glacier coverage in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul Basin has shrunk by 33.7 per cent over the past 70–90 years, according to an updated glacier inventory by Kyrgyzhydromet. The agency says the pace of glacier retreat has accelerated sharply in recent years.
Tashkent has begun work to open the Islam Karimov Memorial Complex to the public as part of plans for a 700-hectare green corridor linking major parks and public spaces across the Uzbek capital.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
