Reporting from Tashkent, Uzbekistan: The second day of the inaugural Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent is set to shift the focus from Uzbekistan’s broader financial transformation to the technologies, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks that could shape the next phase of digital finance across Central Asia.
Taking place today at the Central Asian Expo (CAEx), Day Two brings together central bankers, financial institutions, technology companies, investors and fintech founders for discussions spanning tokenisation, stablecoins, artificial intelligence, cyber resilience, payments, embedded finance and the region’s startup economy. The forum is co-organised by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN).
Tokenisation and Stablecoins Take Centre Stage
The day opens with “Technology for Regional Prosperity”, followed by “How Networks Leapfrog Nations”, featuring former Central Bank of Kenya Governor Dr Patrick Njoroge.
One of the key sessions will examine tokenisation and stablecoins, bringing together representatives from the People’s Bank of China, Telegram, Circle, Liminal Custody, Uzbekistan’s Central Bank and the National Agency of Perspective Projects.
The session, “The Frontier, Continued: Tokenization & Stablecoins,” is scheduled for 10:30am and is expected to explore how digital assets are moving from experimentation towards practical financial applications and what regulatory and infrastructure requirements will be needed for wider adoption.
Can AI Be Trusted Without Trusted Infrastructure?
AI will be another major theme, with the session “Can We Trust AI Without Trusting What Sits Beneath It?” examining the infrastructure and trust requirements underpinning AI-enabled financial systems.
The discussion will include representatives from the Asian Development Bank, Central Bank of Uzbekistan, UzCard and technology companies, reflecting the growing intersection between AI, financial infrastructure and digital trust.
Cybersecurity also features prominently in the day’s agenda. “Trust at the Speed of AI: Cyber Resilience & Fraud Defence for Payment Rails” will bring together cybersecurity, banking and payments specialists to examine how financial institutions can protect increasingly digital payment infrastructure against fraud and AI-enabled threats.
Participants include representatives from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan’s CERT-CBU Cybersecurity Center, Visa CEMEA, Ipak Yuli Bank, Asakabank and KPMG Uzbekistan.
Building an Open Financial Ecosystem
In the afternoon, the forum will turn towards the infrastructure and policy required to connect financial markets.
The “Building the Open Ecosystem – Rails, Capital & the Rules That Connect Markets” session will examine the role of payments infrastructure, investment, regulation and fintech collaboration in creating more connected markets. Speakers include executives from VEON, M2P Fintech, Octobank, Speedinvest and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.
The agenda will also examine embedded finance, with “Embedded Finance in Action – The Last Mile, the SME & the Individual” focusing on how financial services can reach small businesses and individuals through digital platforms and new distribution models.
The session brings together representatives from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, Asian Development Bank, Click, Uzum Bank and Brankas.
Remittances and Cross-Border Connectivity
Another important theme is the future of remittances. The afternoon public-private dialogue, “New Routes Home – Remittances for Central Asia’s Globalising Diaspora,” will examine how financial infrastructure can improve cross-border money transfers for the region’s diaspora.
The session includes representatives from the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Central Bank of Uzbekistan, National Bank of Serbia and regional payment companies.
With cross-border payments identified as a key component of the forum’s wider agenda, the discussion could be particularly relevant for Central Asian markets seeking faster, more affordable and interoperable payment systems.
Startups, Investment and the Region’s Digital Talent
The second day will also place considerable emphasis on the region’s fintech startup ecosystem.
Investor sessions will look at investment opportunities in Central Asian startups, including “Backing the SME Economy: Investing in the Startups Powering Central Asia” and “Investment Thesis in Action: Portfolio Case Studies.” The programme also includes startup-investor matching and sessions focused on how Central Asia’s innovation ecosystem can support founders.
The day concludes with discussions around talent and the region’s demographic outlook, including “The School on the Silk Road: Demographic Dividend, or Demographic Debt?”, which will examine skills, education and the workforce needed to support the region’s digital transformation.
A Broader Shift From Adoption to Infrastructure
Taken together, Day Two’s programme suggests that the forum is moving beyond the question of whether Central Asia will adopt digital finance. The focus is increasingly on what infrastructure, regulation, capital, skills and trust will be required to make that transformation scalable and interconnected.
That emphasis aligns with the forum’s wider five-pillar agenda: building the fintech ecosystem, connecting Central Asia to global markets, scaling digital finance through shared infrastructure, developing the digital-asset frontier and supporting the next generation of talent and entrepreneurs.
The forum continues on 26 August at the Islamic Civilisation Centre in Tashkent, where the programme will shift towards Islamic finance, including the role of Islamic finance as a national strategy and its potential contribution to Uzbekistan’s financial development.
