Financial Center News #146

I would like to thank the 3,333 subscribers to my weekly newsletter. When I launched it in 2023, I never imagined there would be such strong interest in the world of international financial centers. This is especially meaningful to me in these times.

International financial centers exemplify the close cooperation within the financial industry across continents. Our members know better than most how important cooperation and international networks are in providing their citizens, businesses, and municipalities with the best possible financial infrastructure — and in contributing to the success of their national economies.

I am, however, alarmed by images from Dubai, where one of our members, the DIFC, was attacked by drones just a few days ago. At the World Alliance, we stand in solidarity with all our members in the Middle East and hope that attacks on uninvolved countries will cease as soon as possible. It is in this spirit that I have chosen a video of the DIFC as the cover image.

The video offers the right answer: resilience. A quality that the DIFC and its history exemplify — and one that characterizes all our members.

I wish you all a relaxing weekend and, for all of us worldwide, a little more cooperation and fewer conflicts.

🎙️ Insightful perspective from John Godfrey on the strength of the UK's financial ecosystem and its global connections. 🇬🇧🌍

In his contribution to the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), John highlights the importance of what he calls the "British family of financial centers" — a powerful network extending far beyond London. From Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Belfast to Cardiff and Bristol, the UK's regional financial hubs play a vital role in driving economic growth and competitiveness. 🤝📈

Together with Guernsey Finance and Jersey Finance, TheCityUK recently released a paper demonstrating the scale of their contribution to the UK economy: • 💼 Nearly £500bn of foreign investment flows through Jersey • 📊 £1 trillion in assets overseen by Guernsey's investment sector • 🏗 £58bn of regulated international capital flowing into the UK via Guernsey • 👥 Supporting 951,000 jobs and £62bn in UK GDP

These jurisdictions provide stable, well-regulated financial environments, helping channel global capital into key areas such as infrastructure, housing, innovation, and the energy transition.

More broadly, this partnership illustrates how regional financial centers, international hubs, and trusted jurisdictions can work together to strengthen global financial connectivity and resilience.

A valuable contribution to the World Alliance dialogue on the future of international financial ecosystems. 🌐 📲 Full opinion: https://lnkd.in/eSafaQrQ

Ramadan evenings in Abu Dhabi are known for vibrant, culturally rich, and social gatherings. And night markets and pop-ups are some of the key experiences that make this time of year so special.

Take a look at what's happening around the city this year!

The AIFC Management Council has approved the Development Strategy for 2026-2028.

💼 The AIFC is strengthening its focus on attracting investment, developing capital markets and advancing financial innovation, including expanding the range of alternative exchange-traded products, developing insurance solutions, supporting junior mining companies through facilitating early-stage project financing, asset tokenisation and related initiatives. The decision was made in Astana at a meeting chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

By 2028, the AIFC aims to attract $23 billion in investments, with a target of $30 billion by 2030. Priorities include developing the IPO market, strengthening the debt capital market and expanding the range of financial instruments.

📲 Additional focus is placed on fintech, sustainable finance, carbon markets, as well as new areas including aviation finance and the creative economy.

🌏 The AIFC will continue to strengthen its international presence through Astana Finance Days, AIFC Connect and other initiatives.

To date, more than $21 billion in investments has been attracted through the AIFC, around 10,000 jobs have been created, and tax contributions to the national budget have exceeded 284 billion tenge.

Just one week to go until the Bahamas Financial Services Board arrives in Brazil!

We're excited for our upcoming outreach across the Americas and invite our industry colleagues in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to connect with us.

Our executive briefing and strategic dialogue in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, 25th March, will focus on critical areas like succession planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, and the versatile application of The Bahamas Usufruct and Will Trust.

Join us for in-depth technical seminars and networking receptions covering: • Succession planning & intergenerational wealth transfer • The Bahamas Will Trust and its role in estate planning • The Bahamas Usufruct as a familiar civil-law concept

Secure your place now! https://luma.com/rxh3gymj

🌏 Investment Forum: Discover opportunities in finance hub, Busan

The Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Finance Center (BFC) will host an investment briefing for financial institutions. The event will introduce Busan's policy direction, investment environment, and opportunities in the financial sector, highlighting the city's growing role as a leading financial hub in Northeast Asia.

📍 Date & Time: 7 April 2026, 16:30–19:00 📍 Venue: Conrad Seoul, Studio 1–3 (6F), Yeouido 📍 Registration Deadline: 2 April 2026

For centuries, history has long been curated by those in power, often leaving the most remarkable women in the shadows. Yet, their silence was never an absence: it was a quiet, enduring presence woven into the very fabric of time.

From the strategic whispers of royal courts to the complex governance of imperial palaces, we will traverse the eras to uncover how these figures navigated and shaped structures designed to exclude them. This is an exploration of the legacies, intellect, and political maneuvers that traditional history books often overlooked.

Join the CFC community to reflect, reconnect, and draw modern strength from the stories that were never meant to be forgotten.

📍 Venue: CFC First Lounge 🎟 Reserve your seat today!

In moments like these, the vision of the UAE, Dubai, DIFC, our clients and community will shape the future. Resilient places and people do not simply react. They continue shaping what comes next.

Happening Today — Join us at Hilton Paris Opera, 108 rue Saint-Lazare, 75008 Paris, France – Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 5:30 pm for the launch of the 4th edition of our Roadshow!

Discover the endless opportunities that could make Mauritius your new home. On the agenda: an exceptional business forum dedicated to Mauritius. Immerse yourself in the country's remarkable economic transformation and explore the Mauritius Sustainable Island 2050 vision.

An evening full of insights, exchanges and opportunities awaits you!

A $1 trillion economy cannot be built on ambition alone. It must be supported by institutions capable of absorbing risk, protecting value, and giving businesses and investors the confidence to grow.

That was the weight of the message delivered by the Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, at the Insurance Sector Transformation Consultative Forum 2026. His remarks brought the conversation back to a hard truth: insurance is not a side conversation in economic development. It is part of the foundation. A sector that protects assets, strengthens trust, and supports long-term investment is critical to any serious growth ambition.

At a time when Nigeria is focused on reform, resilience, and competitiveness, the transformation of the insurance sector becomes far more than an industry priority. It becomes a national economic imperative.

The challenge now is not simply to agree that change is needed. It is to pursue that change with clarity, coordination, and sustained commitment.

📣 PUBLIC SPEAKING MASTERCLASS | 21–22 APRIL 2026

Speak with confidence. Present with impact.

FinanceMalta is delivering an exclusive two-day Public Speaking Masterclass for members — designed to strengthen communication skills in professional and public environments.

🚨 Important: As from next year, individuals taking up speaking opportunities offered by FinanceMalta will be required to have attended this Masterclass.

✅ Master message structure and storytelling ✅ Improve voice, tone, and delivery ✅ Practise with expert feedback ✅ Learn media engagement techniques

Two days. Hands-on training. Real-world application.

🔗 Full details: https://lnkd.in/dNDbC5kn 📩 MEMBERS ONLY | Register: events@financemalta.org

Approval of the Actuarial Services Offices Regulation strengthens insurance sector stability and enhances the quality of actuarial reports and studies.

🔔 Opening Bell meets School Bell!

The Global Money Week 2026 started today with a special Opening Bell Ceremony on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange floor and at the same time the official launch of our new initiative "Experience Finance in Frankfurt" (FeiF) was heralded. Together, Deutsche Börse Group, DZ BANK AG, Hessisches Ministerium der Finanzen and Frankfurt Main Finance are sending a strong signal for more financial education.

FeiF is a real lighthouse project of the Hessian Financial Centre Cabinet. A network of players in the financial centre bundles its services to make financial knowledge more accessible. What is special about the initiative is that FeiF combines digital and real financial education. A central platform on the FMF website serves as an entry point. On-site formats at numerous financial centre players in Frankfurt complete the offer and make financial education a direct experience.

Today, two school classes were already on site to experience the start of the initiative live. One class then went directly to DZ Bank to get to know the financial center even better.

The goal of FeiF is clear: to make the topic of finances tangible and emotional. After all, only those who understand how money, markets and retirement planning work can make well-founded decisions for their own future.

🚀 The starting signal has been given. Now it is a matter of working together to advance financial education.

To the FeiF platform: https://lnkd.in/dtNPCYYm

In an article on the Future Finance Poland website, Krzysztof Walczak explores global trends in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) and the development of stablecoins, reflecting on their implications for the Polish financial sector and the fintech ecosystem.

📈 According to forecasts by BCG-Ripple, the value of tokenized assets could grow from approximately USD 0.6 trillion today to as much as USD 18.9 trillion by 2033. Among the fastest-growing segments are money market funds, government bonds, real estate, and stablecoins used for settlements and transaction collateralization.

🌎 The author also highlights how different regions of the world — from Switzerland and the United States to Singapore and the United Arab Emirates — are building regulatory frameworks and infrastructure for tokenized financial instruments.

🇵🇱 From a Polish perspective, tokenization may become one of the key directions for the transformation of the financial sector in the coming years. However, its development will require coordinated collaboration between regulators, banks, payment providers, and fintech companies.

👉 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dKeYBZNV

Hong Kong–Indonesia: Deepening Financial Connectivity

How can Hong Kong, as the SuperConnector between the Chinese Mainland and global markets, deepen finance ties with Indonesia — a leading ASEAN economy and the world's fourth most populous country?

🎥 Watch FSDC's Vice-Chairman Mr Daniel Fung share perspectives from our recent visit to Jakarta.

The Istanbul Financial Center stands as a reflection of Türkiye's long-term vision for global finance, developed under the strategic leadership and coordination of the Türkiye Wealth Fund (TWF), which has played a crucial role in shaping its institutional framework and infrastructure. It offers a platform where stability, security, and strategic connectivity come together within a strong financial environment.

In a global setting where uncertainty continues to shape regional dynamics, financial institutions are increasingly seeking locations that provide resilience, operational confidence, and long-term predictability.

Positioned at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa, Istanbul enables institutions to engage with a broad range of markets within a single business day. This geographic advantage is complemented by a dynamic talent base, strong infrastructure, and a steadily evolving financial ecosystem.

Designed as a next-generation hub, the Istanbul Financial Center offers a robust legal framework, competitive incentives, and an integrated institutional environment that supports efficient and sustainable operations. As this ecosystem continues to grow, the Center is increasingly positioned as a reliable gateway for global investors navigating an evolving global landscape.

📊 Our CEO's latest blog post explores how stability and adaptability are shaping the future of international finance and why jurisdictions that can cut through complexity will secure long-term investor trust.

👉 Read his thoughts on: • Why pragmatic decision-making matters more than ever • Changes in investor expectations • Jersey's forward-thinking response to these realities

Read the full blog: https://jsy.fi/3NkUdH5

At #IFF2026, our Business Development Manager, Herve-Frederic Rugwizangoga-MBA-FICP facilitated the FinTech Without Borders stage, guiding engaging and thought-provoking discussions with global leaders from across the fintech ecosystem.

The stage explored how stronger collaboration between policymakers, innovators, and investors can help break down barriers and build a more inclusive, resilient, and interconnected financial ecosystem across Africa and beyond.

The role of crypto in investment portfolios was a key topic at the recent Digital Finance Forum.

During the panel discussions, our speakers JB Graftieaux (CEO at Coinbase Europe), Jerome Dave (President at Bitstamp by Robinhood), and Denzel W. (Head of Luxembourg at B2C2 Europe) highlighted how digital assets are increasingly being viewed as a structured asset class rather than a purely speculative one. With the introduction of MiCA, Europe is creating a safer regulatory environment that is encouraging more institutional investors to enter the space, even if allocations remain focused on the most liquid assets.

The outlook for the sector continues to evolve, with developments such as a potential euro stablecoin expected to broaden participation among European investors.

🔗 Watch the full replay: https://lff.social/hhv

Unlocking Opportunities through NIFC Certification

We continue to advance Nairobi as a globally competitive financial hub through the NIFC Certification for eligible firms within the financial services sector.

The NIFC Certification offers qualifying institutions access to a structured regulatory framework, targeted incentives, and an enabling environment designed to support innovation, strengthen investor confidence, and facilitate cross-border investment.

Through this framework, financial institutions, fintechs, and investment firms can operate within globally aligned standards while leveraging Nairobi's strategic position as a gateway for capital into Africa.

The World Meets Nairobi. Learn more at nifca.go.ke or contact us via info@nifca.go.ke for further information.

QFC firms are encouraged to regularly check the QFC Client Portal for the latest notices, updates, and guidance issued by QFC.

🧑‍💻 Access the portal via the Web, iOS, or Android here: https://lnkd.in/dpMk9tWw

Yesterday we were delighted to convene the Anglo-German Financial Services Dialogue in London, bringing together senior industry leaders and policymakers from the UK and Germany for a focused and constructive discussion.

The Dialogue covered recent UK–German engagement, the role of capital in supporting defence and resilience, the findings of "No time to lose: Reasserting UK leadership in financial and related professional services", and shared approaches to increasing retail participation in capital markets.

We were grateful to all our speakers for their contributions, including Ben McKie, Joe Cassidy, Darren Ketteringham, Dr. Philipp Wackerbeck, Mike Coombes and to Dialogue co-chairs Michael Cole-Fontayn and Oliver Behrens for guiding the discussion.

Our thanks also go to Her Excellency Susanne Baumann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Kingdom, for generously hosting the Dialogue lunch at the Residence, and to Sir Simon Fraser for joining us as guest speaker and sharing his perspectives on the wider geopolitical context. With thanks as well to Deutsche Bank for hosting the afternoon meeting, the Dialogue once again underlined the value of close UK–German engagement on financial and related professional services.

Thrilled to support this session at #KIIC2026. Kenya's skilled workforce, infrastructure, and innovation make it a compelling destination for global digital service delivery — and TRIFIC SEZ is at the heart of enabling this growth!