Star Metro - Freedom Holding Corp. Founder Timur Turlov Announces Candidacy for FIDE Deputy President

According to Turlov, his decision to run reflects the work the Kazakhstan Chess Federation has undertaken in recent years to develop, digitize and popularize chess across the country.

"My goal is to bring more stability, balance and mutual understanding to FIDE. Freedom Holding Corp., as one of Central Asia's leading fintech groups, can help the federation become more digital and technology-driven," said Timur Turlov.

He added that his candidacy also reflects Kazakhstan's growing role in the international chess community.

"In this sense, I represent not only myself, but also Kazakhstan - a country that is increasingly seen internationally as a reliable partner, capable of building calm and balanced dialogue. I believe it is important to bring these qualities - technological expertise, resilience and openness to cooperation - into international institutions," he said.

The FIDE leadership elections will take place on September 26-27, 2026, in Uzbekistan during the General Assembly of the International Chess Federation. Under FIDE rules, candidates for President and Deputy President run on a joint ticket. Turlov will stand alongside the current FIDE President in the upcoming election

Since becoming President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation in 2023, Turlov has overseen a period of rapid growth for chess in Kazakhstan. In 2025, Kazakhstani players won 162 medals at international competitions, including 64 gold medals. More than 1,500 schools and over 60,000 students now participate in the country's school chess program.

In April 2026, Freedom Holding Corp. acquired ChessBase, one of the world's leading chess software and analytics platforms, and plans to invest around €5 million in its further development. Chess is also becoming part of Freedom's digital ecosystem through the Freedom SuperApp, which already broadcasts international tournaments and will expand to include educational content, puzzles, training games and online play.

Timur Turlov is a Kazakhstani entrepreneur, founder and majority shareholder of Freedom Holding Corp., a Nasdaq-listed international fintech company headquartered in Almaty and New York that operates in more than 20 countries. In 2026, the company announced agreements to acquire Turkish Bank A.S., and applied for a banking license in France, where it plans to invest €500 million in building a digital bank and local infrastructure.

About Freedom Holding Corp.

Freedom Holding Corp. provides financial services in 22 countries, including Kazakhstan, the United States, Cyprus, Poland, Spain, Uzbekistan, and Armenia. The Company's principal executive office is located in New York City. In Kazakhstan, Freedom is actively developing its financial and digital ecosystem, which includes Freedom Bank, Freedom Broker, the insurance companies Freedom Life and Freedom insurance, as well as a lifestyle segment that features Arbuz.kz, Freedom Ticketon, and Aviata. Freedom Holding Corp. shares are traded on the U.S. technology exchange NASDAQ, the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), and the Astana International Exchange (AIX) under the ticker symbol FRHC. Freedom Holding Corp. is regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the common stock is included in Russell 3000^® Index.

Contact Information

Natalia Kharlashina
Head of Public Relations
[email protected]
+77013641454

SOURCE: Freedom Holding Corp.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

O.Ouellet--SMC