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.
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.
Uzbekistan is looking to Singapore as it builds a fintech ecosystem designed to attract global investment, technology companies and talent.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have moved to deepen their strategic partnership, with President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit focusing on political ties, education, culture and stronger links between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
Kazakhstan has received a fresh vote of confidence in its economy after S&P Global Ratings upgraded the country’s credit rating, citing stronger public finances, solid reserves and steady economic growth.
Kazakhstanis went to the polls on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election held under the country’s new constitutional system, which replaces the former two-chamber parliament with a single 145-seat legislature known as the Kurultai.
Kazakhstan accounts for 45% of Central Asia’s road and rail infrastructure investment, with around $32.3 billion committed as the region expands key transport links across Eurasia.
Kanye West’s first solo concert in Central Asia delivered an estimated five billion tenge ($11 million) tourism boost to Almaty, drawing 31,000 spectators from more than 50 countries.
Uzbekistan is putting renewable energy, water security, waste management and climate-resilient cities at the centre of its growth strategy as it seeks to modernise infrastructure and attract green investment.
A power disturbance that swept across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on 14 August has highlighted both the benefits and vulnerabilities of Central Asia’s interconnected electricity grid.
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.
Kazakhstan has launched a unified digital platform to track coal supplies in real time, giving officials a clearer view of production, shipments, stocks and prices ahead of the heating season.
A decade ago, digital advertising in the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia was seen mainly as an additional sales channel alongside television, outdoor advertising and local media.
Uzbekistan has eased parts of its extremism legislation following criticism from UN rights experts, while retaining broad state powers over materials and organisations deemed extremist.
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.
Tourists may soon be able to view Kazakhstan’s tourist sites by drone. Officials are planning to trial flights of between five and 30 minutes over landmarks in the country, its Ministry of Transport said.
Tajikistan tripled fuel imports from neighbouring Central Asian countries in July after deliveries from Russia declined sharply, underscoring how disruptions to Russian exports are prompting governments across the region to seek alternative suppliers.
Georgia has wrapped up one of its busiest periods of foreign policy activity in years, with almost all of it focused on Central Asia.
The 4 August edition of AnewZ's PrimeTime led with renewed efforts to advance a Gaza peace plan, followed by the growing impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Central Asia's energy supplies, before concluding with Iran's regional diplomacy despite Tehran denying direct talks with Washington.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan are stepping up efforts to streamline trade between South and Central Asia through a new customs partnership focused on digital connectivity and artificial intelligence.
Azerbaijan's entry into the regional consultative format gives Central Asia reach across the Caspian. But turning geography into power will require more than summits and corridors.
Kyrgyzstan is emerging as one of Central Asia’s most captivating destinations, offering visitors everything from the Tien Shan mountains and Lake Issyk-Kul to centuries-old nomadic traditions. AnewZ explores its landscapes, rich nomadic heritage and preparations for the World Nomad Games.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have begun laying a fibre-optic cable beneath the Caspian Sea, marking the start of offshore construction on a long-planned digital infrastructure project.
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