Bitfinex Securities’ Platform Limit Raised to $310M by Kazakh Regulator

The decision by the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) to increase Bitfinex Securities’ platform limit is a direct response to the accelerating adoption of tokenised securities worldwide. According to Jesse Knutson, Head of Operations at Bitfinex Securities, AFSA has established itself as a “trailblazer in the regulation of digital assets.” The $100 million increase, bringing the total to $310 million, is not merely a numerical adjustment but a strategic recognition of the platform’s role as a leading international tokenisation venue. This move by the independent regulator of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) signals confidence in the maturity of the digital asset ecosystem within its jurisdiction.

The timing of this regulatory boost is pivotal. It comes as Bitfinex Securities announced in September 2025 that it was approaching $250 million in tokenised listed assets on its platform. The increase in the platform limit directly enables the facilitation of additional capital raising activities and secondary market trading, effectively removing a potential bottleneck for future growth. This development underscores a growing global recognition, as noted by Knutson, that “tokenised securities are radically changing the structure of capital markets and opening up new markets for both issuers and investors.”

Bitfinex Securities’ existing portfolio, nearing the $250 million mark, demonstrates the practical application and diversity of tokenisation technology. The platform hosts a wide array of asset classes, moving beyond theoretical use cases into real-world financial instruments. These include the tokenised subordinated debt of a UK community bank, providing a novel funding mechanism for traditional finance. It also lists tokenised exposure to Bitcoin mining operations in North America, blending cryptocurrency infrastructure with regulated securities.

The diversity extends further to include tokenised US Treasury Bills, offering digital access to one of the world’s most secure debt instruments. Additionally, the platform hosts the tokenised equity of an entity providing litigation financing for motor industry claims in the UK, and the tokenisation of bonds investing in microfinance opportunities in emerging markets. This varied portfolio—spanning debt, equity, real-world assets, and crypto-native exposure—illustrates the platform’s capability to tokenise complex financial products, attracting a broad spectrum of issuers and investors.

This track record is built on foundational listings, including over $200 million worth of tokenised securities since joining AFSA’s Fintech Lab in 2021. Key milestones include Mikro Kapital’s regular tokenised bond programme and the first Blockstream Mining Note issued in 2022. The accumulation of these diverse assets under a regulated framework has validated the platform’s model and directly supported the case for the increased limit granted by AFSA.

The platform limit increase coincides with a significant strategic evolution for Bitfinex Securities within the AIFC. The company, which also operates a regulated entity in El Salvador, is now submitting an application to AFSA to migrate from the Fintech Lab regulatory sandbox to become a fully-fledged Authorised Investment Exchange. This transition represents a maturation from a testing environment to a permanent, licensed marketplace, aiming to strengthen its long-term collaboration with the Kazakh regulator.

This progression from sandbox participant to authorised exchange candidate highlights the AIFC’s role as a “forward-looking jurisdiction,” as described by Knutson, that is “well-positioned to capture the benefits of a digital asset-friendly economy.” The regulatory pathway established by AFSA, beginning with the Fintech Lab in 2021 and now supporting platform expansion and licence migration, provides a blueprint for integrating innovative digital asset platforms into a formal financial regulatory framework. The coming years, as noted by Bitfinex Securities, will focus on deepening this collaboration, leveraging the increased $310 million capacity to onboard more issuers and further solidify Kazakhstan’s position in the global tokenisation landscape.