This May, the 6th Annual Economist New York–Eastern Mediterranean Business Summit concluded with a strong reminder of the shifting dynamics in global trade and finance. Against the backdrop of geopolitical realignments, economic fragmentation, and accelerating digital transformation, the summit emphasized the need for resilient, multilateral collaboration between the U.S., Cyprus, Greece, and Israel. One of the summit's prominent participants was Freedom Holding Corp., the Nasdaq-listed U.S.-based financial services company founded by Kazakh entrepreneur Timur Turlov. The company highlighted its unique role in fusing Central Asian ambition with Western capital markets, using the Eastern Mediterranean—particularly Cyprus—as a strategic gateway.
Timur Turlov, the CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., emphasized the company's long-term commitment to the region. “Cyprus has become a gateway for us into Europe and the U.S.,” he said. “What we have built here over the course of more than a decade is not just a presence—it’s a fully functional hub of innovation, compliance, and brokerage activity.”
Based in Limassol, Freedom operates a brokerage platform and employs a team of developers who work on AI-driven compliance tools and investment products. The strategic location of Cyprus and its regulatory framework have enabled Freedom Holding Corp. to translate stringent compliance requirements into scalable digital solutions, thereby bridging the gap between the U.S., Europe, and Central Asia.
According to Timur Turlov, Cyprus has become a kind of “bridge” to Europe and the U.S., a starting point for entering Western markets—the brokerage platform operates there, and cutting-edge digital products are created there.
Freedom Holding's strategy not only involves development in the Eastern Mediterranean region, but also connecting Central Asia with Europe and the United States to create an integrated financial and technological ecosystem. As Western companies search for new tech-friendly, cost-effective locations to host operations outside of traditional hotspots, Turlov floated the idea of Kazakhstan becoming a data and service center for U.S. firms—thanks to its geopolitical neutrality, educated workforce, and improving digital infrastructure.This could facilitate the construction of a “digital silk road” between Asia and the West.
Timur Turlov’s broader message centered on integration—of markets, technologies, and people. He pointed to Kazakhstan’s growing role as a digital and logistical hub between Asia and Europe. “We’ve created a full ecosystem—from digital payments in Kazakhstan to AI-powered financial tools in Cyprus—that supports global investment behavior. Now, we’re serving over half a million clients in the EU alone,” he said.
Freedom Holding Corp. has enabled Kazakh investors to access U.S. equity markets—an opportunity that was largely unavailable just a few years ago. Simultaneously, it has developed a local capital market infrastructure that mirrors global best practices, helping to foster a culture of investment in a traditionally savings-oriented society.
The company has achieved synergy through a combination of American standards, European expertise, and Kazakh talent, and has already seen tangible results. Freedom Holding’s market capitalization has exceeded $10 billion, establishing the company as a major global player and demonstrating how new centers of power can emerge outside traditional financial capitals.
Freedom Holding’s participation in the Eastern Mediterranean Summit reinforced its strategic positioning in the region and reflected the underlying processes of the global transformation of financial architecture. In a world where sustainability and access to capital are becoming key drivers of growth, Freedom Holding is acting as a bridge between continents, sectors, and technologies—and this may be just the beginning.
