Today, November 27, the International Business Forum “Visa Payment Technologies Forum: 30 Years of Innovation and Digital Transformation in Central Asia and Turkmenistan” started in Ashgabat. About 100 delegates from various countries are taking part in the event.

Key figures from the financial sector spoke at the plenary session, including the Chairman of the Board of the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Vice President of “Visa”. In their reports, they emphasized the importance of digitalization and the introduction of innovative technologies in the banking system of the region. Anton Borozdin, Senior Director of Business Development in Central Asia at “Visa”, noted that Central Asia and Turkmenistan are becoming a center of attraction for new technologies and digital solutions, which contributes to the development of payment technologies and accelerated economic growth.

Borozdin paid special attention to two key factors of technological breakthrough: artificial intelligence and youth. Visa has invested more than 10 billion USD in the development of AI technologies, focusing on personalization of financial services and transaction security. Statistics confirm the region's potential: 79% of entrepreneurs are seeking to enter international markets, and 72% of consumers are ready to make cross-border purchases. In Turkmenistan, the number of bank card users has grown by 41% in four years, the number of terminals has increased by 12%, and the number of Internet banking users has exceeded 1 million.

The region’s younger generation is a key driver of change. People under 35 are three times more likely to use mobile banking apps, preferring online services to traditional bank branches. Their average annual credit turnover reaches 18 000. Visa representatives emphasize: Central Asia is ceasing to be a technological periphery, turning into an independent center of financial innovation. The region not only adapts global trends, but also creates its own unique solutions that can be scaled worldwide.