Astana International Exchange (“AIX”, “Exchange”) has been recognized for its Gold Coin project, developed jointly with the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) among the Top 3 innovations globally alongside Nigerian Exchange Group (Nigeria) and Deutsche Börse Group (Germany) in the WFE Innovation in Market Infrastructure Award by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).
The Gold Coin represents a new generation of digital gold investment products. Each unit equals 1/20 of a troy ounce of gold, fully backed by the National Bank of Kazakhstan and linked in real time to LBMA quotations. Through the Tabys mobile app, investors can buy, sell, or gift digital gold and manage their portfolios in a secure and user-friendly environment.
The Gold Coin design stands out through its fractional structure: each coin is divided into 20 fractional units, making gold ownership more affordable and accessible to a much wider audience. Once investors accumulate 20 units, they can exchange them for a distinctive physical ÚKI gold coin, created exclusively for this project or simply keep their investment in digital form.
This model combines the reliability of central bank-backed assets with the flexibility of digital finance, expanding financial inclusion and making gold ownership accessible to everyone.
In just six months, trading turnover on AIX has exceeded 15 billion tenge (around USD 30 million) through more than 4,500 transactions on the Tabys app. The AIX Registrar now holds gold valued at USD 6 million.
The WFE Innovation in Market Infrastructure Award celebrates outstanding achievements in transforming the global exchange landscape. This year’s competition brought together nine leading exchanges from around the world, including:
- Astana International Exchange (Kazakhstan) – digital gold product enabling fractional ownership and exchange for a physical investment coin “ÚKI”;
- Boerse Stuttgart Group (Germany) – BISON platform for responsible crypto investing;
- Deutsche Börse Group (Germany) – D7 digital platform built on German electronic securities law, supporting a fully digital lifecycle;
- Nasdaq (USA) – Data value transparency initiative to enhance market engagement;
- Nigerian Exchange Group (Nigeria) – NGX Invest digital platform improving access to public offerings;
- Saudi Tadawul Exchange (Saudi Arabia) – Capital Management System, a centralized platform streamlining offerings subscriptions across Saudi Arabia covering all the exchange markets;
- Taipei Exchange (Taiwan) – SCAN platform supporting government and SME access to capital through sustainable bond issuance;
- Taiwan Futures Exchange (Taiwan) – Extending single stock futures into the night session;
- Taiwan Stock Exchange (Taiwan) – Driving the growth of Taiwan’s ETF ecosystem through innovation, ecosystem development, and investor education.
Assel Mukazhanova, CEO of AIX, commented:
“We are proud that AIX and Kazakhstan have been recognized on the global stage for innovation in market infrastructure. This achievement underscores AIX’s commitment to innovation, financial inclusion, and the development of transparent, accessible investment solutions that connect Kazakhstan with global markets.”