Kumar Bahukhandi
The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, has inaugurated the Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory (SFIT), a new international jurisdiction on the shores of alpine Lake Issyk-Kul. The first residents of Tamchy, who joined during the launch ceremony, were companies from South Korea, the UAE, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Kazakhstan. Twenty companies from across the globe are in the process of establishing residency at Tamchy SFIT.
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Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory on Issyk-Kul Launched in Kyrgyzstan
The ceremony culminated with President Japarov symbolically activating a geotag-shaped switch, thus putting Tamchy SFIT, quite literally, on the global financial map.
“Changes in the global economy are driving demand for new centers of business activity where international standards are supported by true freedom of innovation and long-term investment. Tamchy SFIT is our national project and our response to the needs of international businesses. We are building a financial center from scratch with an independent court, a modern regulator, and rules that won’t change with shifting trends.I have no doubt that Tamchy SFIT will open a new chapter in the history of Kyrgyzstan,” said President Japarov
SFIT “Tamchy”: Why the State is Changing the Rules for Business
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Operating on the principles of English common law, Tamchy SFIT has its own financial regulator, an International Dispute Resolution Centre, and a single-window digital registrar. A special tax regime guarantees a 0% rate of tax on profits, dividends, capital gains, and VAT for 49 years and allows 100% foreign ownership and unrestricted profit repatriation.
Covering an area of about 6,000 ha, Tamchy SFIT can already boast a fully operational business center, while hotels and residential buildings are under construction. Issyk-Kul International Airport is within walking distance.
“Great financial centres are built by understanding what international capital and businesses require. Tamchy SFIT offers exactly that — a trusted, flexible, and investor-ready platform for businesses seeking sustainable growth. Benchmarked to international gold standards, grounded in English common law, and positioned at the intersection of five EAEU economies and the Eurasian corridor, it offers a jurisdiction that is neutral, independent, and built to last,” said Ali Ijaz Ahmad, First Deputy Chairman of the Tamchy SFIT Management Council.
One of the first executives who decided to set up in Tamchy SFIT was Seo Dong Hyun, CEO of Serim.
“Over the past thirty years of investing in the semiconductor industry, high technology, and energy, I have come to appreciate that legal certainty and trust in the regulatory system are the foundation of long-term investment. These are the very principles on which the Tamchy SFIT was established. What is particularly remarkable is that a project of this scale was delivered in just one year—faster than in any other jurisdiction I know. Today, I registered my family holding company here. For me, this is not an investment for years, but for generations,” he said.
By 2035, Tamchy aims to attract around 4,000 resident companies and create over 10,000 jobs. The expected contribution of Tamchy to the country’s economy between 2026 and 2035 is estimated at USD 20 bn.
