Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Finantsinspektsioon of Estonia signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in supervision of alternative investment fund managers (AIFM) under the EU’s AIFM directive. This MoU sets the framework conditions for AIFC fund managers to market and manage alternative investment funds, such as hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds to professional investors in Estonia, as well as for Estonia to manage or market alternative investment funds in the AIFC.

In view of growing globalization of the world’s financial markets and the increase in cross-border operations and activities of managers of alternative investment funds formalization of cooperation between AFSA and Finantsinspektsioon will allow mutual assistance in the supervision of Managers of alternative investment funds, their delegates and depositaries that operate on a cross-border basis. Through the MoU, supervisory authorities expressed their willingness to cooperate with each other in the interest of fulfilling their respective regulatory mandates, particularly in the areas of investor protection, fostering market and financial integrity, and maintaining confidence and financial stability.

Astana Financial Services Authority in cooperation with the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan has held a series of webinars for the representatives of the financial sector of Kazakhstan.

The webinars were intended to raise awareness of Kazakhstan’s financial community on setting up in AIFC, regulatory regime in AIFC, operation of banks and investment funds in AIFC and covered following topics:

• 10 February 2021 – The Licensing of AIFC Participants
• 17 February 2021 – Comparative analysis of regulatory requirements for banks in the AIFC and branches of international banks in accordance with Kazakhstani legislation
• 24 February 2021 – Prudential regulation of banks in the AIFC
• 3 March 2021 – Regulation of collective investment schemes in the AIFC

The events attracted over 180 participants from the Kazakhstani finance sector and gave opportunity for the participants to learn more about regulatory environment of the AIFC. These are second series of webinars which have built on the success of first series of webinars conducted in September – October 2020.

AFSA is keen to organize more webinars for the public and will continue its efforts of increasing awareness on conducting operations in and from AIFC.

For questions and requests you can write to [email protected]

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) of Romania signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in supervision of alternative investment fund managers (AIFM) under the EU’s AIFM directive. This MoU sets the framework conditions for AIFC fund managers to market and manage alternative investment funds, such as hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds to professional investors in Romania, as well as for Romania to manage or market alternative investment funds in the AIFC.

In view of growing globalization of the world’s financial markets and the increase in cross-border operations and activities of managers of alternative investment funds formalization of cooperation between AFSA and ASF will allow mutual assistance in the supervision of Managers of alternative investment funds, their delegates and depositaries that operate on a cross-border basis. Through the MoU, supervisory authorities expressed their willingness to cooperate with each other in the interest of fulfilling their respective regulatory mandates, particularly in the areas of investor protection, fostering market and financial integrity, and maintaining confidence and financial stability.

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Bank of Lithuania signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in supervision of alternative investment fund managers (AIFM) under the EU’s AIFM directive. This MoU sets the framework conditions for AIFC fund managers to market and manage alternative investment funds, such as hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds to professional investors in Lithuania, as well as for Lithuania to manage or market alternative investment funds in the AIFC.

In view of growing globalization of the world’s financial markets and the increase in cross-border operations and activities of managers of alternative investment funds formalization of cooperation between AFSA and Bank of Lithuania will allow mutual assistance in the supervision of Managers of alternative investment funds, their delegates and depositaries that operate on a cross-border basis. Through the MoU, supervisory authorities expressed their willingness to cooperate with each other in the interest of fulfilling their respective regulatory mandates, particularly in the areas of investor protection, fostering market and financial integrity, and maintaining confidence and financial stability.

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) held the webinars for Authorised Persons (Authorised Firms, Authorised Market Institutions and FinTech Lab Participants) and DNFBPs (including Ancillary Services Providers as law firms, audit firms, accountancy firms and Company Services Providers) on different aspects of:

• the amendments to AML Guidance implemented in compliance with amendments to Kazakhstan’s AML/CFT Law;
• New Guidance on non-face to face Customer Due Diligence (CDD);
• List of financial and ancillary services subject to the financial monitoring (List).

On 3 February 2021, the AML/CFT Webinar was organised and held for DNFBPs, where 24 out of 57 DNBFPs attended the session.

On 4 February 2021, the AFSA organised the Webinar for Authorised Persons, where over 36 participants attended the session (9 Authorised Firms, 2 Authorised Market Institutions and 5 FinTech Lab Participants).

The webinars were devoted to the amendments to AML Guidance and details of the Guidance on non-face to face CDD and the List adopted by the AFSA on 30 December 2020. Main issues such as key and related amendments relating to the relevant AIFC Participants and the requirements of Guidance on non-face to face CDD include identification and verification, ML/FT risk management, and record-keeping in the case of non-face to face business relations and CDD were discussed.

The webinars were also focused on the amendments to AML Guidance and the requirements of a new Guidance on non-face to face CDD, which should be implemented by Authorised Persons and DNFBPs in its AML policies, controls, and procedures.

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in supervision of alternative investment fund managers (AIFM) under the EU’s AIFM directive.

This MoU sets the framework conditions for AIFC fund managers to market and manage alternative investment funds, such as hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds to professional investors in Portugal, as well as for Portugal to manage or market alternative investment funds in the AIFC.

In view of growing globalization of the world’s financial markets and the increase in cross-border operations and activities of managers of alternative investment funds formalization of cooperation between AFSA and CMVM will allow mutual assistance in the supervision of Managers of alternative investment funds, their delegates and depositaries that operate on a cross-border basis. Through the MoU, supervisory authorities expressed their willingness to cooperate with each other in the interest of fulfilling their respective regulatory mandates, particularly in the areas of investor protection, fostering market and financial integrity, and maintaining confidence and financial stability.

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Refinitiv will collaborate to provide Participants of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) with the relevant access to full spectrum of financial market data and tools via Refinitiv’s flagship Eikon analytical software.

Cooperation arrangement will allow AIFC Participants for (1) access flexible conditions for EIKON platform subscription from Refinitiv* and (2) participation in the events, trainings and experience sharing in the realm of global financial markets.

The platform allows the user to perform a full pre-trade screening and top-down analysis via flexible instrument screeners, the most comprehensive macroeconomic database with historical time series and forecasted data, industry and company research reports, detailed company fundamentals information, among a myriad of other functions, as well as monitor their portfolios in real time and do a thorough post-trade analysis via interactive portfolio analytics reports. The platform also aggregates unique content across ESG (Environmental responsibility, Social impact and Corporate governance), project finance, deals (including private equity) and collective investments. Users can access the data via an intuitive user interface in Eikon and/or integrate the data with other applications via an easy to use API (application programming interface) for a more programmatic approach.

Interested Participants may contact: 
Refinitiv

Arman Kassymov

+7 (701) 930 35 35

[email protected]

AFSA believes that cooperation with Refinitiv will foster and promote compliance of AIFC Participants with AFSA’s systems and controls requirements, for example in performance of due diligence or the investment analysis through access to market intelligence and data platforms.

*Free trial access to the Eikon platform will be provided for one month to AIFC Participants. Interested Participants may individually negotiate conditions for extension of free trial after expiration of the testing period.

In case of further inquiries to AFSA, please contact AFSA Communications team at [email protected].

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in supervision of alternative investment fund managers (AIFM) under the EU’s AIFM directive.

This MoU sets the framework conditions for AIFC fund managers to market and manage alternative investment funds, such as hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds to professional investors in Ireland, as well as for Ireland to manage or market alternative investment funds in the AIFC.

In view of growing globalization of the world’s financial markets and the increase in cross-border operations and activities of managers of alternative investment funds formalization of cooperation between AFSA and CBI will allow mutual assistance in the supervision of Managers of alternative investment funds, their delegates and depositaries that operate on a cross-border basis. Through the MoU, supervisory authorities  expressed their willingness to cooperate with each other in the interest of fulfilling their respective regulatory mandates, particularly in the areas of investor protection, fostering market and financial integrity, and maintaining confidence and financial stability.

Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) and Refinitiv will collaborate to offer Participants of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) improved accessibility to compliance data and regulatory market intelligence.

Cooperation arrangement will allow AIFC Participants for (1) access flexible conditions for the World-check service subscription from the Refinitiv* and (2) participation in the events, trainings and experience sharing in compliance field in Kazakhstan and CIS.

Refinitiv is one of the world’s largest providers of financial markets data and infrastructure. It provides leading data and insights, trading platforms, and open data and technology platforms that connect a global financial markets community, in such areas as trading, investment, wealth management, regulatory compliance, market data management, enterprise risk and fighting financial crime. Refinitiv offers a number of compliance related products such as World-Check, Qual-ID and Enhanced Due Diligence service.

Interested Participants may contact:
Refinitiv

Arman Kassymov

+7 (701) 930 35 35

[email protected]

AFSA believes that cooperation with Refinitiv will foster and promote compliance culture among the AIFC Participants through access to market intelligence and data platforms.

In case of further inquiries to AFSA, please contact AFSA Communications team at [email protected].

* Free trial access to the World-Check service platform will be provided for one month to AIFC Participants. Interested Participants may individually negotiate conditions for extension of free trial after expiration of the testing period.