AI in Finance, Digital Assets, and Anti-Fraud: Central Asia Fintech Summit 2026 to Take Place on September 11 in Almaty

Artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of the daily operations of the financial sector, digital assets are transitioning from experiments to systematic regulation, and the fight against financial fraud requires a unified infrastructure involving both the state and business.

On September 11, these changes will be the central theme of the Central Asia Fintech Summit 2026 at the Modern Culture Center “Tselinny” in Almaty. The summit’s theme is “The Era of Trust: What Will the Financial Market of the Next Decade Look Like?”

CAFS 2026 is organized by the National Payment Corporation of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan Fintech Network, with the support of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Regulators and Market Leaders

Among the speakers at CAFS 2026 are Timur Suleimenov, Chairman of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Madina Abylkasymova, Chairman of the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Bynur Zhalenov, Deputy Chairman of the National Bank; Zhanar Samayeva, Chairman of the Board of the National Payment Corporation; and Renat Bekturov, Managing Director of the Astana International Financial Centre.

They will be joined by the top executives of the largest banks, BigTech companies, and international financial and technology organizations. The core of the discussion will focus on how the rules of the financial market are changing under the influence of new technologies and what infrastructure is needed for the next stage of its development.

Three Studies on Market Directions

Three studies on key changes in Kazakhstan’s financial sector will be presented at CAFS 2026.

— “Fintech in Kazakhstan 2026”, prepared by RISE Research and the Fintech Center with the support of the National Bank, will present an up-to-date map of the fintech market: its participants, development directions, investment trends, and key barriers to growth.

— “Digital Financial Assets in Kazakhstan 2026” by the Fintech Center, supported by the National Bank, is based on global benchmarking and a survey covering 79 percent of companies in the studied market. The main question is whether there is real demand for digital assets and whether traditional financial institutions are ready to integrate with the new infrastructure.

— “Implementation of Artificial Intelligence on the Financial Market of Kazakhstan” is being prepared by the Fintech Center jointly with the National Bank, the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARRFM), and the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). This study has been conducted for three consecutive years, and in 2026, the sample size doubled to 160 respondents.

Previously, the main question was whether financial institutions were implementing artificial intelligence and how they were doing it. Today, that discussion is behind us. The current key question is what measurable value AI creates: how companies evaluate economic impact, productivity, and the actual return on investment in the technology. The study will show how much the market has moved from technological hype to measuring concrete results.

Anti-Fraud as Financial Market Infrastructure

A separate focus of CAFS will be the development of the National Anti-Fraud Center, which brings together banks, law enforcement agencies, and telecom operators to combat financial fraud.

Participants will discuss the use of technologies to detect and block fraudulent chains in real time. As part of the summit, there will also be an awards ceremony for the best participants in the anti-fraud system.

5 Startups Compete for Investments Up to $100,000

The final of the Fintech Stars Battle will also take place at CAFS 2026. From more than 50 teams, five finalists will present their solutions to banks and investors.

The winner will have the opportunity to attract investments of up to $100,000 under a SAFE agreement, participate in an acceleration program in Dubai, and gain access to potential partners and investors.

Dias Savetkanov, Founder and CEO of Kazakhstan Fintech Network
When algorithms make more and more financial decisions and digital assets become part of a regulated market, trust ceases to be just a word from a corporate mission. It becomes a technological standard. Therefore, at CAFS 2026, we talk about trust not as a philosophy, but as the basic architecture of the financial market of the next decade.

The Central Asia Fintech Summit 2026 will take place on September 11, 2026, in Almaty at the Modern Culture Center “Tselinny.” The summit will bring together regulators, banks, FinTech companies, BigTech firms, international financial organizations, investors, and technology teams to discuss the future of the financial market in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.