Governor Bekturov had the honour of speaking as a panelist in the session titled “New Global Order: Expectations from Economic Transformation and Digital Revolution.” He was joined by distinguished speakers including Dr Fariz Ismailzade (Parliament of Azerbaijan – Milli Majlis), Urs Unkauf (Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade), David Goldman (Corvinus Institute for Advanced Studies – CIAS), and Marika Karagianni (Democritus University of Thrace – D.U.Th.).

In his remarks, Governor Bekturov highlighted the AIFC’s progress in developing its digital assets market as a case study. With monthly turnover reaching between $300–400 million, the AIFC’s digital asset ecosystem has garnered considerable interest from local financial institutions, accompanied by a new set of regulatory challenges. To ensure investor protection and market stability, the AIFC has introduced practical and targeted control measures, including Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) for digital asset investments, mandatory risk disclosures, rigorous internal controls and monitoring systems, as well as strict custody and security requirements.

The AIFC was founded with the vision of becoming a trusted financial and legal hub — a crossroads where East meets West. It is based on English common law principles and offers a unique regulatory environment featuring a special currency regime, an international stock exchange, and a focus on Islamic finance, green finance, and digital innovation at the heart of Eurasia. Several joint ventures in the transportation and logistics sectors currently operate within the AIFC’s jurisdiction, helping to develop key trade corridors between East and West and enabling the exchange of culture, ideas, and capital.

In addition, the AIFC supports data-driven policy implementation in the fields of finance and development, offering a platform for government decision-making that is both informed and impactful.

At present, seven Azerbaijani companies — across IT, fintech, logistics, and other sectors — are registered at the AIFC. Governor Bekturov used this opportunity to invite more Azerbaijani businesses to explore the benefits of partnering with the Centre, contributing to the growth of the regional financial ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the AIFC and ADA University are set to publish a joint policy paper entitled “Enhancing Economic Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.” The paper will identify priority sectors for collaboration, including oil and gas, transport and logistics, financial services, telecommunications, and agricultural trade — all of which present substantial opportunities for deepening bilateral economic ties.