On 3 April, the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Ripple, a cryptocurrency platform for payment systems, hosted a joint seminar. The central theme of the event was the regulation of digital ecosystems.
As blockchain technology and digital assets continue to evolve, they are reshaping the global regulatory landscape. In 2024, AFSA released a set of rules governing digital asset activities and is now focused on further developing its digital asset ecosystem. The seminar, held in partnership with Ripple, contributed to this effort by exploring global trends and the potential uses of new technologies, particularly within a local context.
Vladimir Savov, AFSA Chief Markets Officer, commented: "Today, we held a seminar in partnership with Ripple, focusing on the regulation of digital ecosystems, particularly digital assets. The aim of the initiative was to discuss pressing issues related to the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape in the digital asset space, which continues to significantly transform financial systems worldwide. The discussions were of particular significance for the development of the AIFC, which strives to become one of the leading global financial hubs for digital innovation, in line with international standards for digital asset regulation."
During the seminar, Ripple experts presented global trends in digital asset regulation, best practices in custodial storage, the role of stablecoins in the development of ecosystems, and the potential uses of tokenisation in digital payments.
The event also featured a panel discussion titled "The Future of Payments - Digital Assets and Stablecoins," where Vladimir Savov, AFSA Chief Markets Officer, and Rhys Merrick, Managing Director of Ripple for the Middle East and Africa, discussed the regulation of digital assets and Ripple’s role in advancing such technologies.