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 has brought together more than 6,000 participants from 74 countries in Tashkent, including policymakers, regulators, investors and technology leaders. Convened by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and Singapore-headquartered GFTN and co-hosted by Ant International, the forum has focused on accelerating investment, financial innovation and regional connectivity.
The three-day programme has featured almost 200 speakers and more than 25 investors representing $4 billion in assets under management, with discussions ranging from digital finance and cross-border payments to Islamic finance and entrepreneurship.
The final day moved to the Islamic Civilisation Centre for The Azimuth, a dedicated programme focused on Islamic finance and entrepreneurship.
As the forum draws to a close, attention is shifting from what Central Asia could become to what needs to happen next - and what it will take to turn the region’s fintech ambitions into tangible growth.
Speaking to AnewZ, Pieter Franken, Representative Director of GFTN Japan and Group Chief Technology Officer, said one of the challenges is ensuring that successful local fintech companies can scale beyond their home markets.
Franken pointed to Japan, where the country has developed major fintech companies, but many have remained focused on the domestic market. Central Asian companies could face a similar challenge, he said: a product may be highly successful within the region without necessarily being relevant beyond it.
For start-ups seeking to expand internationally, Franken argued that the strongest products tend to address simple, universal needs rather than highly specific local ones.
For Central Asia, building a successful domestic fintech sector may therefore be only the first step. Companies will also need to develop products capable of crossing borders and competing in international markets.
Doing so will require investment, talent and stronger financial connectivity across the region, including more interoperable payment systems and infrastructure.
Uzbekistan is already linking its fintech ambitions to a broader investment strategy. The country says it has attracted $160 billion in foreign investment over the past decade, while its economy has grown by more than two and a half times.
The Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum is expected to become an annual platform. With the inaugural gathering coming to an end, the focus now turns to delivery: how much of Central Asia’s fintech vision can become reality before the region gathers again?
Read more:
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China....
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurr...
Poland's long-running conflict over judicial independence and control of the Constitutional Tribunal intens...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment