Astana International Financial Center is a TAX HAVEN in the middle of the steppe
Astana International Financial Center
Today, the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) is one of the fastest-growing business centres of our time, the so-called FINANCIAL HUB that connects the economies of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and EAEU, West China, Mongolia, the Middle East and Europe. As planned, the HUB was created by analogy with Singapore, Dubai, and Hong Kong.
The AIFC has created unprecedented conditions for attracting international participants, which have no analogues in the Post-Soviet States. Participants are provided with benefits for up to 50 years, simplified currency, visa and labour regimes. The AIFC operates on the basis of English common law, the official language of business is English.
Currently, more than 1155 companies from 60 countries of the world are members of the AIFC. According to the centre’s data for 2021, the assets of AIFC financial sector companies have already exceeded $1 billion.
Besides, the rapid development of the market can be observed in the following figures:
- $6 billion – investments have been attracted to the country’s economy;
- $321 million – the amount of equity capital on the AIX Exchange and $1.4 billion of debt capital;
- $298.5 million – trading volume on AIX;
- 898 – resolved commercial and civil disputes (20 cases in the AIFC Court and 878 in the International Arbitration Center);
- 24 – investment companies and 6 – investment funds are registered (total of $ 736 million assets under management (AUM) and $ 1.26 billion advisable assets (AUA);
- $2.5 million — raised in exchange-traded notes (retail investment);
- $200 mln – market size of sustainable financing instruments (ESG);
- 4 billion tenge – the volume of issued “green” and social bonds on the AIX Exchange;
- The listing of three-year social bonds (EDB) was carried out;
- $ 4.5 million – the amount of concluded investment transactions and $ 7.5 million – concluded venture deals.
WE Legal has been providing legal support to AIFC participants
Since its inception, WE Legal has been providing legal support to AIFC participants operating in this rapidly developing market. Our ability to adapt to the requirements of the AIFC market and regulators has allowed us to gain unique practical experience in dealing with any issues that AIFC participants and clients may have. Our clients trust us because WE are able to find practical solutions, and we always try to be as efficient as possible.
WE advise in the field of regulatory regulation (AIFC Market Rules) and company structuring, accompany licensing and other activities of companies, corporate reorganization and restructuring, attraction and structuring of investments, as well as effectively represent clients in commercial disputes, etc.
