The International Arbitration Centre (IAC) at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in Kazakhstan is increasingly being used by regional and international businesses for commercial dispute resolution. 

Since its launch in 2018, the IAC has positioned Kazakhstan as a credible alternative to traditional arbitration centres in London or Singapore, AIFC officials told the Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR) in Astana on October 31. The IAC, a key component of the AIFC, has handled nearly 5,000 cases since inception, with clients ranging from domestic companies to investors from 34 countries across Eurasia, officials said. 

“Whatever your investment — inside the AIFC, in Kazakhstan generally, or in the wider Eurasian region — you are free to choose this court and arbitration centre,” said Christopher Campbell-Holt, OBE, registrar and chief executive of the AIFC Court and IAC, told journalists on the sidelines of the conference. 

The decision was made when setting up the court to allow any company to use it, rather than confining it to AIFC members or even Kazakhstani companies. “In Kazakhstan we took the bold, and I think the best, approach which is to make it as open and flexible as possible,” he said. 

“Almost 90% of our nearly 5,000 cases, which were successfully, quickly and cost-effectively resolved in just under eight years, have had nothing to do with the AIFC.” 

The centre operates under a constitutionally enshrined mandate for judicial independence. Campbell-Holt noted that the Kazakh government has promoted the AIFC court to investors as a reliable venue for dispute resolution, bolstering confidence in cross-border deals. “Nobody has ever been able to interfere in our justice. It cannot happen. Businesses know they can trust this environment,” he said.

The arbitration centre’s rapid adoption is also notable in the context of the region’s legal landscape, which historically posed challenges for cross-border business. Campbell-Holt noted that Kazakhstan’s approach — making the court open, flexible and internationally aligned — helped attract early cases and set a precedent for the region. “There is nothing like this in the entire Eurasian space,” he said.

Investors say that the centre contributes to a more predictable business environment, giving them confidence to pursue complex infrastructure projects and industrial developments, according to Campbell-Holt. “The trick is to find an ecosystem and environment to give them the trust and confidence that they need to keep coming back to invest in Kazakhstan,” Campbell-Holt said. “Look around the evidence—it’s happening because we’ve built a beautiful investment hub.” 

The arbitration centre’s rise reflects Kazakhstan’s broader ambitions to become a gateway to Eurasia for international commerce. The AIFC, located in the capital Astana, has attracted more than 4,500 companies since its inception, offering a unique English common law jurisdiction in the heart of Central Asia. “The combination of jurisdiction, a dynamic market, and a robust legal framework for digital technologies are why the business community comes to the AIFC,” said Bakhtiyar Tleubekov, chairman of the management board at the AIFC.

Initially focused on financial services, the centre has expanded its remit to facilitate a broad range of projects in areas as diverse as infrastructure, aviation and mining, acting as a catalyst for both public and private sector initiatives. 

There have been some questions raised about whether the centre’s rules facilitate tax evasion. Asked by bne IntelliNews about this, Tleubekov said that the AIFC’s tax regime is carefully structured to attract substantive investment rather than serve as a tax haven. Companies benefit from exemptions on dividends and capital gains, but all must demonstrate a tangible presence in Kazakhstan. “We check for sustainable presence — cash investments, creation of jobs, actual substance. No shell companies,” he said.

As Kazakhstan continues to position itself as a bridge between Europe and Asia, the AIFC and its arbitration centre have emerged as critical pillars supporting the country’s economic and investment ambitions. With international companies increasingly turning to Astana for dispute resolution, Astana is quietly carving out a role as a regional arbitration centre.