Financial Center News #144

We are about to kick off our Board Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting mission in Malta 🇲🇹. Hosted by our member FinanceMalta, this gathering brings together global financial centers for our Board of Directors Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting.

As highlighted by Lamia MERZOUKI, Chair of World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC): "The World Alliance will continue its efforts to broaden its footprint and enhance the relevance of financial centers in a rapidly evolving global economy."

📲 https://lnkd.in/eysF5vmk

🔔 Bahamas Financial Services Board joins the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) as new member.

During our recent meetings, the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) welcomed a new member: the Bahamas Financial Services Board. Based in Nassau, the Bahamas Financial Services Board plays a key role in promoting the country as an international financial hub, bringing together banking, wealth management, investment funds, insurance, legal and advisory services.

We look forward to working with its CEO, Niekia Horton, and her team to strengthen collaboration between international financial centers and continue advancing research, dialogue and cooperation across the global financial ecosystem.

📱 https://lnkd.in/eWKpyqGc

Today, members of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) had the honor of meeting HE Clyde Caruana, Malta's Minister for Finance, for a high-level exchange on the future of finance. 🇲🇹🌍

The meeting, hosted by our member FinanceMalta, reflected Malta's strong commitment to international cooperation and strategic dialogue between policymakers and global financial centers. The session included:

🎤 An address by HE Minister Clyde Caruana 💡 Introduction by Lamia MERZOUKI, Chair of the World Alliance 🎙️ Remarks by Jochen Biedermann, Managing Director of the World Alliance 🤝 Contributions from George Vella, Chairman FinanceMalta and Joseph Zammit Tabona

A closed-door discussion followed, enabling open and strategic conversations on: • The evolving role of international financial centers • Regulatory developments and competitiveness • Innovation and digital transformation • Sustainability and long-term resilience

This engagement demonstrates a shared ambition between Malta and the World Alliance to actively shape the future of global finance. At a time of transformation and uncertainty, dialogue between financial centers and public authorities is more critical than ever.

📲 Read more: https://lnkd.in/exaD9dw7

The World Alliance met with the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)

Members of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) had the opportunity to meet with the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) to exchange perspectives on the evolving financial regulatory landscape.

Key topics included the implementation of the MiCA framework, the growing role of artificial intelligence in financial services, and how regulators and international financial centers can work together to foster innovation while maintaining strong supervision and financial stability.

⏳ These exchanges also allowed participants to share experiences from their respective financial centers and explore potential areas of collaboration. Many thanks to our member FinanceMalta for hosting these valuable discussions and facilitating dialogue between regulators and international financial hubs. 🤝

📲 https://lnkd.in/e2N4dZ2r

The World Alliance Met with Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) Malta

Members of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers had the opportunity to meet with the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) Malta to better understand Malta's framework for combating financial crime and strengthening financial integrity.

The discussions focused on the structure, supervisory role, and operational processes of the FIAU, particularly regarding its responsibility to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering regulations. This exchange provided valuable insights into how Malta supervises compliance, monitors financial institutions, and enforces AML/CFT obligations across its financial sector.

🤝 Thank you to Alfred Zammit and Jonathan Phyall for the warm welcome and the informative discussion, hosted by our member FinanceMalta, represented by Bernice Buttigieg.

For this month's LINK, we hosted Suhoor in recognition of the holy month of Ramadan, bringing members of the ADGM community together at Ibn AlBahr on Al Reem Island.

The evening kept everything LINK is known for while reminding us that strong professional networks are built through consistency, and that taking the time to gather strengthens those connections even further.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. We look forward to welcoming you to the next edition.

President of Serbia Visits the Astana International Financial Centre

On 27 February, as part of his official visit to Kazakhstan, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić visited the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). The delegation was introduced to the Centre's operations, institutional framework and opportunities for expanding investment and business cooperation between Kazakhstan and Serbia.

AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov, CFA presented the Centre's key areas of activity, including investment attraction instruments, transaction structuring, capital market development and support for international projects. Since its launch, the AIFC has attracted more than USD 20 billion in total investments, including direct investments from AIFC participants and debt capital.

During the visit, the Serbian President was briefed on the work of the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), the Astana International Exchange - AIX, as well as the AIFC Court and International Arbitration Centre. Particular attention was given to the Centre's business support infrastructure, including the Expat Centre, which operates as a one-stop shop assisting foreign specialists and company employees with migration procedures, employment and relocation matters in Kazakhstan.

At the conclusion of the visit, President Vučić toured the AIFC's Museum of Trust, an art space presenting the history of financial relations through the evolution of trust as a key driver of economic development.

The Bahamas Global Wealth Summit is returning for its second year between 29-30 April 2026, under the theme 'Wealth Preservation Strategies in a Recalibrating World.'

Building on the success of our inaugural summit, this year we will convene global leaders to examine how today's geopolitical and economic recalibration is reshaping capital mobility, jurisdictional strategy, and long-term wealth preservation.

Watch this space for more details on our full 2026 program!

A.P. Moller Capital, a leading infrastructure investment fund, shares its vision for Africa. Ghislane Guédira Bennouna, CEO of AP Moller Morocco, explains how the firm invests in critical sectors such as logistics, transport, and the energy transition, combining operational excellence with a strong focus on sustainability and long-term value creation.

As a member of the CFC community, Ghislane Guedira highlights why Casablanca Finance City serves as a strategic hub for their regional operations: providing continental connectivity, a highly skilled talent pool, a dynamic business ecosystem, and a well-established, internationally recognized platform to support investment across Africa.

🎥 Watch the video to discover their insights and regional strategy.

Update for the DIFC community: We are closely monitoring current regional developments. Please review the latest guidance and operational arrangements.

Mauritius is more than a lifestyle — it's a powerful, well-regulated International Financial Centre offering cross-border investment opportunities, wealth management, premium real estate, Smart Cities, structured finance and world-class AML/CFT compliance.

Explore why global investors are choosing Mauritius as their strategic hub: 👉 Real estate provides critical infrastructure for the global ambitions of the Mauritius International Financial Centre and for the evolution of the sophisticated ecosystem. 👉 Smart Cities & Technopoles offer high-tech offices, modern infrastructure, and live-work-play environments for multinationals and regional headquarters. 👉 The Mauritius IFC enables wealth management and portfolio diversification through premium real-estate investment. 👉 The Invest Hotel Scheme (IHS) attracts alternative financing by allowing the sale of hotel units. 👉 Compliance: The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) ensures AML/CFT standards aligned with FATF for property transactions. 👉 Structured Finance: The IFC provides for specialized investment vehicles designed to hold real-estate assets

See you in 🇫🇷 Paris on March 17, Nice on March 18, 🇨🇭 Geneva on March 19, 🇩🇪 Munich on March 23, 🇧🇪 Brussels on March 25 and 🇬🇧 London on March 26.

Six voices. One mission: transforming Nigeria's insurance industry.

At the Insurance Sector Transformation Consultative Forum 2026, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Yetunde Ilori, Bola Odukale, and Obi Ibekwe will lead a closed-door convening of regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders focused on advancing bold reforms and collective advocacy for the transformation of Nigeria's insurance sector.

The transformation starts now.

FinanceMalta extends its thanks to Payfuture for kindly sponsoring the lunch for the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) delegation during their visit to Malta.

Payfuture is a global payments company licensed in Malta, supporting businesses expanding across emerging markets, with a strong presence across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The company enables merchants, platforms and payment providers to manage local payment acceptance and cross border fund movement in complex regions.

Learn more about Payfuture: https://www.payfuture.net/

Do you think your presence at the General Assembly meeting is important? 🤔

🌐 FOOD for THOUGHT – Online Event

Frankfurt Main Finance and the VIB - Association of International Banks in Germany are delighted to invite you to the next edition of FOOD for THOUGHT.

📌 Thursday, 12 March 2026 | 09:00 – 10:00 (Frankfurt time) | Online

We are pleased to welcome Michael Born, Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright. Under the title "CRD VI and BRUBEG – Navigating Germany's new cross-border banking rules" he will address the fundamental reshaping of cross-border banking in Germany following the transposition of CRD VI through the Banking Directive Implementation and Bureaucracy Relief Act (BRUBEG).

For third-country institutions – including banks headquartered in the UK, Switzerland, the US, Asia and beyond – the new framework represents a pivotal moment to reassess market access strategies and structural setups within Germany and the wider EEA.

👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/d76ZWzcF

🔔 Only until March 10th - together with FinTech Poland we are conducting market consultations and waiting for your comments, observations, and suggestions regarding the draft Act amending the Act on Trust Services and Electronic Identification and certain other laws (UC122).

📩 Send them to: arozendaal@fintechpoland.com

➡️ The draft Act published by the Ministry of Digital Affairs is available here: https://lnkd.in/deF8-5hh

👉 The draft act aims to align the Polish legal framework with the changes resulting from the eIDAS regulation. A key element of these changes is the provision of a European digital identity wallet and the implementation of related organizational, technical, and regulatory solutions that will enable secure, cross-border access to public and private services, as well as full user control over their data.

This is a key opportunity to share your views and help shape the future framework of digital identity in Poland!

Advancing Hong Kong's Capital Market Leadership

Building on the foundation set out in our latest concept paper, "Hong Kong's Capital Market Leadership: A Super Connector Path to the Global Capital Nexus in the Digital Era", the #FSDC has been actively engaging with professional bodies, industry associations and chambers to gather diverse perspectives to advance these concepts into well-defined and actionable directions.

Most recently, we convened a roundtable hosted by our Executive Director, Dr Rocky Tung, with members of The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC), where we exchanged valuable perspectives on:

• Deepening Markets & Liquidity: Discussed priorities to enhance market resilience and liquidity, ensuring Hong Kong's competitiveness as a global financial hub. • Enhancing Cross-Border Connectivity: Highlighted Hong Kong's "Super Connector" role in linking global capital to opportunities in Mainland China and Asia. • Driving Infrastructure Innovation: Explored digital transformation and emerging opportunities to build a future-ready financial ecosystem.

We greatly appreciate CGCC's keen interest and contributions. We will continue our dialogue with more industry partners in the coming months as we work toward actionable recommendations to further advance Hong Kong's capital market development.

Türkiye stands among top six countries accounting for nearly three quarters of capacity expansion in Europe, supported by upward momentum in wind, solar, and geothermal development.

As the scale of clean energy investment grows, integrated financial platforms such as Istanbul Financial Center become instrumental in facilitating sustainable capital allocation and long-term project financing.

Join us on Thursday 30 April 2026 for our Sustainable Finance Awards at Cineworld - an evening designed to celebrate progress and spark new ambition for sustainable finance in Jersey.

Agenda highlights include: • Keynote address from Kate Raworth, ecological economist and author of Doughnut Economics • Presentation from David Craig, Co-chair of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) • Panel discussion with our leading award finalists moderated by Dame Susan Rice, Chair, Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI) • Rewarding organisations and individuals that are making a valuable contribution to supporting the mobilisation of capital towards sustainable outcomes

📍 Cineworld | 📅 Thursday 30 April 2026 | 🕠 5.30 pm – 8.30 pm

Register now: https://jsy.fi/40BeTxp

Event sponsors: Capital International, Cazenove Capital, PwC

Please note that, due to continued interest in the Sustainable Finance Awards, the deadline for entries has been extended. Following the original closing date of Friday 27 February, the deadline to submit entries is now 12.00 pm Friday 6 March.

We are pleased to announce that the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Rwanda, Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva will officiate the 3rd Inclusive FinTech Forum #IFF2026 taking place in Kigali from 10–12 March 2026.

The forum will convene global investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, regulators, development partners, and industry leaders to advance dialogue and collaboration on inclusive finance and fintech innovation.

Join the conversations shaping the next chapter of inclusive fintech.

With MiCA now in force in Europe and the GENIUS Act reshaping the conversation in the United States, the regulatory landscape for Web3 is entering a new phase.

At the Digital Finance Forum 2026, Dan Jones, Partner at Morrison Foerster, will discuss the evolving global framework for digital assets and decentralised technologies in conversation with Raoul Heinen, Investment Funds Partner at Linklaters. The session will examine how regulation is influencing innovation, market structure and cross-border activity, and what this means for financial centres positioning themselves in the Web3 ecosystem.

⏳ Don't miss it and register now: https://lff.social/xck

Many thanks to our sponsors: A&O Shearman, ATOZ Tax Advisers, Linklaters, Swissquote Bank Europe, Coinbase

The World Financial Innovation Series officially kicked off this morning in Nairobi, marking the 7th edition of the global platform taking place at The Edge Convention Centre Nairobi.

Our CEO, Daniel Mainda, participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Fidelis Muia, Director of Technical Services at the Kenya Bankers Association, and Jeevan Miranda of Tradepass, formally inaugurating the series and setting the stage for high-level engagements centered on shaping the future of financial innovation.

The event brings together regulators, financial institutions, investors, and technology leaders to explore digital finance, capital markets evolution, regulatory innovation, and emerging technologies transforming the financial ecosystem.

NIFC Africa's participation as a supporting partner underscores our continued commitment to strengthening investor confidence, enhancing regulatory clarity, and positioning Nairobi as a globally competitive International Financial Centre.

The World Meets Nairobi.

To continue prioritising the safety and well-being of our community, client meetings will be conducted remotely starting from Tuesday, 3 March and until further notice. Limited in-person client support will be available at QFC Headquarters for emergency cases only, with business continuity measures in place to ensure continued support remotely.

Further updates will be shared as needed. For more details and assistance, please contact Client Affairs at: 📧 clientaffairs@qfc.qa

Ahead of International Women's Day this Sunday, our Managing Director, International, Nicola Watkinson (she/her), shares what the day means to her, why there is still important work to be done and why this year's theme, #GiveToGain, particularly resonates.