Financial Center News #175

The DIFC Future Finance Week is just around the corner. We are preparing a panel where we will look at how financial centers contribute to their national economies and how AI, digital assets and tokenization are changing that contribution. World Alliance members receive free passes through our member DIFC. Please join us there!

European financial centers will meet in Tallinn next week to discuss competitiveness. In his opinion titled “Europe’s Next Step: Building a Financial Infrastructure for a New Era,” Dr. Matthias Voelkel, CEO of the Boerse Stuttgart Group, aptly summarized what needs to be done.

By the way, if you hold a Master's degree in Communication, Marketing, or similar, there is an excellent opportunity to start as a Communications Officer on the amazing team at Casablanca Finance City.

Finally, I am delighted to see TRIFIC growing in Nairobi. As the Kenyan hub for financial and business services, TRIFIC works hard to attract investment and create opportunities for businesses. Its recent green USD I-REIT listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange was an important milestone in this journey.

🇪🇺 Europe's capital market is fragmented across national systems. The US market is roughly three times its size. That gap isn't closing on its own.

💡 In our latest World Alliance Opinion, Dr. Matthias Voelkel, CEO of Boerse Stuttgart Group, sets out what Europe needs to stay competitive in global finance:

📈 More private investors in the capital markets, so savings fund innovation and growth

🔗 Pan-European digital infrastructure, built on blockchain, to cut the costs of fragmentation

💶 A real answer to dollar-backed stablecoins, instead of stepping back from digital assets

🚀 His conclusion is clear: "The next era of global finance will belong to those who evolve."

📲 Read the full opinion: https://lnkd.in/gJRsRp2J

A busy first half at the Registration Authority!

Active licences now stand at close to 14,000, which makes ADGM the largest international financial centre in the MEASA region by that measure.

The figure that stands out most, though, is the rise in operating entities, up 34% on last year. It points to a shift in what ADGM is: no longer just a place to register a company, but a community where businesses are setting up, hiring, investing and trading.

💡 Join us for AIFC Community: New Financial Products in Action!

A practical community event exploring emerging financial instruments and market opportunities in Kazakhstan and the AIFC. 🌐

The event is open to everyone interested in the topic, including AIFC participants and the wider business community.

🔗 Registration link: https://lnkd.in/dHGU234r

📌 About the Event

The event will focus on:

🔹 Digital assets

🔹 Real-world asset (RWA) tokenization

🔹 Commodities

🔹 Stablecoins

🔹 Related financial infrastructure

💬 Discussions will explore how the market is moving beyond basic trading activity towards broader financial infrastructure, new products and real-world use cases.

The programme will combine regulatory and industry perspectives, practical participant experience and structured networking. 🤝

The event is held within the AIFC Community initiative, which aims to connect members of the AIFC ecosystem with the wider business community and encourage collaboration.

🎤 The programme and speakers will be announced shortly.

Participation is available by online registration only.

📅 Date: 23 October 2026

🕙 Time: 10:00

📍 Location: Academy Hall, Mangilik El 55/1, Block C4.4, Astana

📩 For any questions:

Email: business@aifc.kz

LinkedIn: AIFC Business

Ahead of the upcoming CFATF Mutual Evaluation this October, BFSB CEO & Executive Director Niekia Horton shared her perspective in The Nassau Guardian on how The Bahamas continues to strengthen its financial integrity framework.

As global regulatory expectations evolve, international investors, firms and advisors increasingly look for evidence of how financial centers perform in practice. In her op-ed, ‘Strengthening trust in The Bahamas’ financial integrity’, Niekia addresses how our financial ecosystem has built readiness through expanded supervisory oversight, higher beneficial ownership transparency and targeted risk management.

For institutions and practitioners operating in or through The Bahamas, these ongoing reforms reflect a collective commitment across public and private sectors to maintain a secure, well-governed and competitive financial hub.

🔗 Read the full op-ed here and share your thoughts in the comments: https://lnkd.in/eKrrtiE6

Join the CFCA team in Casablanca as our next Communications Officer!

Ready for a role where no two days look alike? Casablanca Finance City Authority is looking for a Communications Officer to join its Communication team.

Reporting directly to the Communication Manager, you will form a dynamic duo managing 360° communication projects across all CFCA departments. In this role, you will lead content creation for our institutional and digital platforms, manage corporate events from concept to final execution, coordinate relationships with creative agencies, and ensure smooth operational follow-up.

You are the ideal candidate if you hold a Master's degree in Communication, Marketing, or a related field, with 2 to 3 years of experience, ideally gained in an agency. Excellent written and spoken French and professional English are essential, along with strong copywriting skills, high organization, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Excited to join a motivated team and make your mark? Send your CV and cover letter to recrutement@cfca.ma

DIFC Beat | October edition: Upcoming events, academy programmes and more

Building a stronger insurance culture starts with educating young minds. In fact, a child as young as five can begin to understand what insurance means and why it matters.

For Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Rex Insurance Limited, and Chairman Nigerian Insurers Association, integrating insurance education into school curricula, simplifying insurance products and leveraging technology are key to making insurance more accessible and relevant to younger Nigerians.

Insurance is not just for the older generation, it is a planning tool that can help young people prepare for different stages of life and build a more secure financial future.

At EnterpriseNGR, we bring together leaders shaping Nigeria’s Financial and Professional Services sector to examine the challenges, opportunities and pathways to progress.

Watch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eu5R4z8Z

Yesterday, MASA and FinanceMalta brought together members from across the funds and wealth management sectors for Unlocking Malta’s Structuring Toolkit: NPIFs and Partnership Structures at The Link, Żejtun.

A practical, regulator-aware look at the structures shaping Malta’s next phase of growth, from NPIFs and partnerships to securitisation vehicles, SPVs and new family office structures.

Thank you to our speakers:

🎤 Anabel Mifsud, Malta Asset Servicing Association (Welcome & Opening Remarks)

🎤 Andrew Caruana Scicluna, Camilleri Preziosi Advocates (NPIF Framework, Partnerships, Securitisation & SPVs)

🎤 Tanti Claire, Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), in conversation with Nadia Vella, PwC Malta (Practical Discussion with the Regulator)

🎤 Peter-Jan Grech, BRND WGN (Marketing Malta’s Unique Proposition)

🗣️ Panel: Matching the Right Structure to Strategy and Scenario

Joseph Camilleri, Malta Asset Servicing Association (Moderator)

Alberto Llaneza, AUDENTIA CAPITAL Group

Conrad Cassar Torregiani, Deloitte

André Zerafa, Ganado Advocates

Alistair Muscat, Integra Private Wealth Ltd.

🎤 Bernice Buttigieg, FinanceMalta (Closing Remarks)

And thank you to all our members who joined us. Stay tuned for more member briefings.

𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆

Deepening strategic partnerships among international financial centres continue to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a dynamic connector within the global financial ecosystem. Recent leadership engagements with counterparts from World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) in Busan broadened channels for exchanging market perspectives and identifying further opportunities for cross-border collaboration.

Our Executive Director, Dr Rocky Tung, was elected Vice-Chair of WAIFC (effective 2027), a role that will further amplify Hong Kong’s international voice and partnership. This leadership position enables deeper cooperation and drives innovation with established and emerging financial centres worldwide, advancing collective progress in financial innovation and market development.

A new chapter in Anglo-German relations – with a timing that could hardly have been better.

This week, we gathered for the Anglo-German Financial Services Dialogue (AGFSD) at Simmons & Simmons in FOUR Frankfurt just one day before Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham made his inaugural visit to Berlin.

The Kensington Treaty offers a new framework for Anglo-German cooperation which we want to help to fill with substance. We want the AGFSD to serve as a trusted private-sector partner and sounding board for both finance ministries, bringing practical recommendations to the bilateral dialogue.

That is why our meetings lead to a joint letter to both finance ministries, setting out concrete proposals for deeper cooperation. And we intend to go further: Oliver Behrens, President of Frankfurt Main Finance, and Friederike von Tiesenhausen, the new Co-Chair on the UK side, shared their ambition to broaden and intensify the Dialogue.

Our discussions reinforced one fundamental insight: Britain and Germany face similar challenges. And in both countries, the financial sector can be a powerful part of the solution.

Four topics stood out:

🔹 Competitiveness and capital markets: How can the EU's Savings and Investments Union and the UK's financial services reforms unlock investment, reduce unnecessary barriers and strengthen Europe's competitiveness?

🔹 Pensions and household savings: What can Germany learn from Britain's experience with auto-enrolment and funded pensions? And how can we mobilise more private savings for productive investment?

🔹 Defence and resilience: How can public and private capital be mobilised more effectively to finance European security, defence capabilities and dual-use technologies?

🔹 UK–EU cooperation: How can Germany and Britain jointly advance regulatory cooperation and rebuild bridges across the Channel?

We may no longer share the same regulatory house, but we certainly share the same mindset and objectives — and many of the same problems.

Finally, there was also a personal note: after more than 18 years at Frankfurt Main Finance, Hubertus Väth attended his last AGFSD session as FMF's Managing Director. Therefore, Nicola Watkinson of TheCityUK bid farewell to him by surprising him with a flower bouquet and a short speech honoring their collaboration.

We are delighted to welcome Kuba Fast, CEO of Revolut Bank EU, as a keynote speaker at Future Finance Summit 2026! 🔥

🎤 Kuba leads Revolut's European banking entity, which serves customers across the entire European Economic Area. Before joining Revolut, he spent almost seven years at JPMorgan Chase, where he helped launch the bank's international consumer banking business and went on to serve as CEO of Chase UK.

Few people have built digital banks from both sides – inside a global incumbent and inside Europe's fastest-growing challenger. That makes his perspective especially valuable at a moment when Europe is asking how to scale financial innovation without losing trust or control.

Join us on November 4th at CIC Warsaw 👉 https://lnkd.in/dHhqC2ae

Pawel Widawski Piotr Brewiński Katarzyna Multan Anna Bogucka FinTech Poland

Istanbul’s legacy, a new perspective on finance.

The Istanbul Financial Center reflects the international financial vision of a city with a long history of trade. With its holistic approach—spanning from architecture to the business world—and its goal of creating long-term value, the center offers an integrated ecosystem for international investors and financial institutions.

Secure your spot at the Istanbul Financial Center: https://ifm.gov.tr/basvur

As digital assets become increasingly integrated into mainstream financial services, the conversation is shifting from the technology itself to the structures, regulation and governance that support institutional adoption.

From tokenised real-world assets to stablecoins and digital asset investment structures, Jersey is already putting its established financial services expertise to work in this evolving space.

In his latest blog, our Chief Executive Officer, Joe Moynihan, explores how Jersey’s strengths in regulation, legal structuring, governance and administration provide strong foundations as traditional and digital finance increasingly converge.

Read Joe’s latest blog to find out more: https://jsy.fi/4jNL9Iw

It was a privilege to welcome a delegation from the Regional Economic Service of the French Embassy in Nairobi for a courtesy visit.

The exchange covered Rwanda’s positioning as an international financial centre, its value proposition to investors, key achievements, strategic priorities for the next phase of growth, and opportunities for collaboration.

We remain committed to building strong international partnerships that expand opportunities, attract investment, and support Rwanda’s long-term development.

Kicked off our ASEAN visit with Minister Gilles Roth in Hanoi today before heading to Ho Chi Minh City and then Bangkok for the IMF/World Bank Fall Meetings. The Minister‘s meetings with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of Vietnam highlighted the strong complementary role that Luxembourg, as a leading international financial centre, can play in bringing international capital to Vietnam, which is rapidly building out its infrastructure and renewable energy capabilities. Future cooperation with Vietnam’s International Financial Centre will help to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation, building on decades of capacity building in financial services.

Ministry of Finance, Luxembourg Luxembourg for Finance Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) ALFI - Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry ABBL Jenny de Nijs Sam Schreiner Eric Lauer ATTF

Meet Daniel Mainda, CEO of the Nairobi International Financial Centre Authority (NIFC Africa).

Daniel is leading efforts to position Nairobi as a gateway for global capital into Africa, strengthening the policies, regulatory frameworks and institutional partnerships needed to attract international investors.

At Africa Startup Festival, join the conversation on the capital and institutions shaping Africa’s investment future.

Get your pass via the link in the comments.

We are pleased to welcome Fiera Capital, a leading Canadian independent asset management firm with approximately USD 115 billion in assets under management, to QFC. 👏

Building on its existing presence in Qatar’s financial landscape through the launch of a USD 200 million Qatar Equity Fund in partnership with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) in 2025, the firm’s UK subsidiary has received initial authorisation from the QFC Regulatory Authority to establish a local branch.

Led by Vijay Singh, the new office will strengthen engagement with investors and further reinforce Qatar’s position as a growing regional hub for asset management, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.

An excellent and lively debate with Torsten Bell MP, UK equity capital markets practitioners and representatives from the pensions sector this week on the levers to support UK growth.

A key theme was the need to strengthen the connection between long-term UK savings and long-term UK growth. If the UK wants to support more companies to start, scale and stay here, while building a thriving economy for people to retire in, we need a strong domestic investor base. A smooth funding continuum is essential to creating UK-anchored, globally connected companies that can grow, innovate and deliver strong long-term returns for investors.

Thank you to Torsten and our members for such a great discussion and Rothschild & Co for hosting. We look forward to continuing our work on this issue.

TRIFIC SEZ was pleased to participate in and sponsor the Fund Managers' Association (FMA) Golf Tournament, connecting with professionals across Kenya’s investment and financial services sector.

As a hub for financial and business services, TRIFIC works to attract investment and create opportunities for businesses to grow. Our recent green USD I-REIT listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange is another milestone in this journey, reinforcing our connection to Kenya’s investment landscape.

Engaging with industry stakeholders such as FMA is an important part of our work as we continue to position TRIFIC SEZ as a destination for international business and investment.

Thank you to FMA for bringing the industry together.