Kazakhstan’s Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) and Exante have announced a partnership regarding the development of a national cryptocurrency. The Kazakhstan government intends to launch a state-issued cryptocurrency that is backed by fiat.
The AIFC has announced a partnership with Exante, in which the company’s ‘Stasis’ platform will be used as the foundation for Kazakhstan’s national cryptocurrency. Exante is a Malta-based investment company that that was founded in 2011.
The governor of the AIFC, Kairat Kelimbetov, has expressed the institution’s belief that “blockchain and cryptocurrencies are entering the mainstream of today’s economic reality.” Kelimbetov emphasized the AIFC’s desire to become an international frontrunner in the development and adoption of distributed ledger technology. “Astana’s leading financial regulators have already commenced their work and are laying the foundation for Kazakhstan’s fintech-ecosystem. We believe that the AIFC can become an international hub for blockchain operations and the development of the digital assets market is our key priority in the near future,” he stated.
Kazakhstan Will Host an Upcoming Expo for Blockchain and Cryptocurrency TechnologiesKelimbetov recently discussed an upcoming expo that the AIFC hopes will bolster international perceptions of the fintech and distributed ledger technology industries in Kazakhstan. As reported by local media, the AIFC governor stated “we assume that the territory of the expo will become a kind of crypto valley or crypto harbor. The whole world is very interested in this. Some central banks are supporting this direction, others are looking [at cryptocurrencies] closely.”
During the discussions, Kelimbetov emphasized the AIFC’s desire to balance the fostering of innovation and adoption of cryptocurrency technology with the ensuring of financial stability. “The United States and Singapore want to equate the activities of crypto-economic with ordinary activities in the financial sphere. In Switzerland, this direction is strongly encouraged and Japan supports some cryptocurrencies as a means of payment. We want to say that in this direction AIFC will be on the ‘edge’ concerning understanding the processes that are taking place. But on the other hand, we are responsible for issues of financial stability and regulation of certain financial institutions.”
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