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Summing up Digital Kyrgyzstan 2025. From digital som to AI localization
On February 27, 2025, one of the largest events in Central Asia, the International PLUS-Forum “Digital Kyrgyzstan”, was held in Bishkek with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic.
A full photo report on how it was at the PLUS-Forum Digital Kyrgyzstan.
The International PLUS-Forum Digital Kyrgyzstan was held in the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic for the third time. It should be noted that digitalization in Kyrgyzstan is at the stage of rapid development, and the relevance of issues related to fintech, blockchain, artificial intelligence, the introduction of innovative technologies in the banking industry and retail is growing every year. And the PLUS-Forum Digital Kyrgyzstan plays an important role in this process.
The Forum's business program included the widest range of issues related to the implementation of the "Digital Kyrgyzstan" concept, including the further introduction of innovative technologies in government agencies, banks, fintech and retail.
This year, the issue of development and implementation of artificial intelligence systems in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia and globally was also under focus. Several sessions were devoted to this topic. The Forum participants paid special attention to the prospects for establishing an “AI Committee” under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as to the goals and objectives of this new structure.
A separate session “Cryptocurrency industry 2025. Penetration in all areas of banking and payments business.” was dedicated to the problems of the rapidly developing crypto industry.
Also, the digital som, an innovative project of national scale, was considered in depth.
One of the strategic objectives of the Forum is to give additional impetus to the development of the economy of Kyrgyzstan, to support international cooperation and the development of new promising large-scale projects.
Thus, in 2025, the event was marked by the signing of a number of important agreements, which will subsequently have an impact on the further development of the market.
PLUS Group signed memorandums of cooperation with the JIA Business Association and the Association of cross-border e-commerce and logistics of the Kyrgyz Republic.
These steps are aimed at establishing partnerships and mutual cooperation within the framework of joint projects in the territory of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.
After as few as three years of its work, the PLUS-Forum “Digital Kyrgyzstan” already managed to announce itself to be the most visited event in the industry in terms of both audience size and composition – business owners, top managers and key employees This year, over 1,500 delegates applied for participation in the event.
Over 80 international and regional experts made their reports and presentations at the conference, and 23 exhibitors presented their products, technologies and services at the exhibition. Delegates from 22 countries, including the Russian Federation, Belarus, Belgium, Great Britain, Sweden, France, Türkiye, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UAE, Portugal, Moldova, China, Cyprus, the Baltic states, countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia, took part in the PLUS-Forum.
Sponsors and partners of the PLUS-Forum “Digital Kyrgyzstan”:
General Sponsor:
Fido Biznes
Partner:
Aiyl Bank
Platinum Sponsor:
M4BANK
Click here to see the full list of Partners, Sponsors and Media Partners of the International PLUS-Forum “Digital Kyrgyzstan”.
Аs tradition has it, when opening International PLUS-Forum “Digital Kyrgyzstan”, PLUS-Forum Steering Committee Chairman Alexander Grizov greeted the delegates with his welcoming speech: “Today, we are with leaders, innovators and experts of the digital future of Kyrgyzstan. The Forum is focused on discussing the further development of a modern digital society, eGOV, G2B2C, AI, ChatGPT, Cybersecurity, digital banking and fintech, payments business, cryptocurrency, eCommerce and offline retail, self-service banking, biometrics, Islamic finance and creative economy.”
When opening the business program of the PLUS-Forum, Steering Committee Co-Chairman and PLUS Group CEO Konstantin Grizov addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. He emphasized the importance of the event as a unique platform for business communication and discussion of current issues of market development.
“PLUS-Forum serves as an impetus for the development of the economy of the Central Asian region. It’s more than just discussions about the future, these are specific steps that help adapt to changes in the market and capitalize on new opportunities in Central Asia,” noted the PLUS-Forum Steering Committee Co-Chairman.
This year we again managed to form a truly unique line-up of speakers.
Among those who spoke at the PLUS-Forum “Digital Kyrgyzstan” 2025 conference were the heads of relevant regulators and other government agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic directly responsible for digitalization processes in the country. Among them: National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, Financial Market Regulation and Supervision Service of the Kyrgyz Republic, State Institution Kyzmat under the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, KYRGYZ POST, Electronic Commerce Association of the Kyrgyz Republic, Accumulative Pension Fund “Kyrgyzstan”.
The event was also attended by top managers of the major commercial banks and the country’s mobile operator, including: Aiyl Bank, Optima Bank, Eldik Bank, MBANK, Dos-Credobank, FINCA Bank, Orient Finance Bank (Uzbekistan), Alif Bank, Tajikistan, MEGA, etc.
The presence of commercial institutions, the largest marketplaces, exchanges, crypto exchanges and associations at the PLUS-Forum was no less wide to include Wildberries, Ozon, DNS, inDrive, Binance Kazakhstan, Beeline Kyrgyzstan, Stock Exchange, Freedom Broker, Association of Virtual Assets Market Participants, Creative Industries Park.
The key points of the PLUS-Forum 2025 include the following:
- “Digitalization is a key priority of the state policy of Kyrgyzstan,” said Minister of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic Azamat Zhamangulov at the plenary session “Kyrgyzstan on the way to a modern digital society.” In particular, he highly rated the prospects for using AkylAI, the first AI developed in the Kyrgyz language. According to the minister, “PLUS-Forum brings together technology, finance and innovation. Partnerships are formed here, new ideas appear. Next year, perhaps, we’ll go to Issyk-Kul Lake to hold the event there with an even wider international audience.”
- The gradual launch of the digital som project is planned until 2026, said Aigul Bakesarieva, Head of the Digital Som project of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic. “The digital som project is an important step in the digital transformation of the Kyrgyz economy. Its implementation will create new opportunities for businesses, citizens and government institutions, and it will also strengthen the country's financial system,” the expert noted.
- The key provisions of the Digital Code, a new comprehensive document regulating the digital environment, were announced by First Deputy Minister of Digital Development of Kyrgyzstan Klim Omelchenko
- The borderline between security and convenience in digital payments and the risks associated with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence – Japar Usenov, member of the Digital Development Council under the Chairman of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic qualified those as the key issues.
- In two years, Kyrgyz Post has entered the top 30 of the International Postal Union rating to become one of the most dynamically developing postal operators in the world, noted Marcel Salakhunov, Advisor to the General Director of Kyrgyz Post and President of the Association of Cross-Border Electronic Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic. The company's rebranding is a symbol of global modernization, rather than a mere change of name, he believes.
- Bereke 2.0, a mobile application for individual entrepreneurs, was presented by Aiyl Bank Board Chairman Tilek Alimdzhanov. The application is designed to make financial management for small and medium-sized businesses even more convenient, fast and effective.
- The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan has made significant progress in disseminating the national standard for QR payments, said Kubanych Shatemirov, Head of Digital Services and Acquiring Network Development at MBANK, member of the Expert Council of the High-Tech Park of the Kyrgyz Republic.
- Kyrgyzstan is developing a faster payment system based on the national QR code standard and compliant with the ISO-222 standard, said Deputy Chairman of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic Mels Attokurov.
· New technologies contribute to the intensity of the tax service’s work, said Shamshybek Kachkynbai uulu, Director of the State-owned Institution Salyk Service at the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic
· During the last five years, some areas of the financial industry such as Open API and Open Banking have been rapidly developing in Central Asia. This contributes to the strengthening of interaction between traditional banks and fintech companies. Senior Sales and Account Manager at Kompas Plus Denis Romanov shares his experience.
- Marat Pirnazarov, Chairman of the Financial Market Regulation and Supervision Service under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, spoke about the key stages of developing the digital asset market regulations in Kyrgyzstan, as well as about establishing crypto exchanges and virtual asset exchange operators.
· The importance of involving women in technological processes and their role in business development was emphasized by Aijan Chynybaeva, Head of Women Committee at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, who moderated the resonant discussion “Women In Tech. Technologies as the Foundation of Business. The Role of Women in the Transformation of Industries”.
· The topic of professional growth of people with disabilities in the fintech industry was covered by Gulnaz Zhuzbaeva, CEO and Founder of the Kyrgyz Federation of the Blind, whose presentation gained a wide resonance among the audience.
- The conference program ended with a hot panel discussion “Modern retail in Central Asia. Retail chains. E-commerce, marketplaces. Capabilities of new business strategies and technologies.”
PLUS-Forum is not a mere traditional large-scale event, it is a platform for ideas and business connections! Digital Kyrgyzstan brings together representatives of the public sector and business, regulators and banks, fintech firms, retail and providers of solutions for digital business transformation, helping to maintain international cooperation and develop new promising large-scale projects.
As the PLUS-Forum participants once again noted, Digital Kyrgyzstan is a platform for productive business communication, which serves as an impetus for the development of the economy of the country and the entire Central Asian region.
See you at the PLUS-Forums in 2025!
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