Uzbek Fintech Spotlight: Uzum has been named among the world’s top fintech companies by CNBC and Statista for the first time, landing in the neobanking category and highlighting Uzbekistan’s fast-growing digital finance ecosystem. Cross-Border Payments: Ant International’s Alipay+ added new bank partners, including Hang Seng Bank, expanding QR-based cross-border mobile payments across Asia-Pacific and linking into Uzbekistan’s HUMO QR network. Regional Trade Growth: Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan trade keeps climbing, with turnover forecast to near $1.2B by 2025 and exports from Uzbekistan rising sharply, signaling deeper supply-chain ties. Water & Irrigation Tech: Uzbekistan and Japan deepen collaboration in water management, with a focus on modernizing irrigation and using digital monitoring to improve efficiency. AI Push in Central Asia: Central Asian officials gathered in Shanghai for AI cooperation talks, including the push to formalize a global AI governance body (WAICO), reflecting intensifying competition between China and the US. Climate & Safety Systems: Heatwaves are being framed through a “One Health” lens across Central Asia, while Kyrgyzstan’s hydrometeorological monitoring is being modernized to improve natural-hazard forecasting and early warnings. Heritage Science Training: Young researchers from Central Asia joined Silk Road heritage conservation training, combining scientific study of traditional craftsmanship with monitoring and early-warning methods. Defense Tech Watch: Embraer and Anduril signed an MoU to integrate pallet-launched Barracuda-500M cruise-missile capabilities into the C-390 platform, pointing to new rapid-deployment concepts.