Freedom Holding’s Global Chess Ambitions Take Center Stage in Washington
By Arslan Saleem July 26, 2025 11:25
In a move underscoring its growing influence in both global finance and educational innovation, Freedom Holding Corp. is stepping onto a different kind of world stage — the chessboard.
The NASDAQ-listed financial services and technology company announced it will sponsor the 2025 FIDE World Schools Team Championship and the Smart Moves Summit, taking place this August at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Washington D.C. area. The events — the first of their kind to be held in the U.S. capital — will convene school chess teams from 47 countries alongside educators, technologists, and business leaders to explore the intersections of strategy, learning, and innovation.
At the heart of this international initiative stands Timur Turlov, Freedom Holding’s founder and CEO — a man with a deeply personal stake in the chess renaissance.
“Behind every young chess player is a story of effort and curiosity,” said Turlov in a press statement. “Supporting the FIDE World Schools Team Championship and the Smart Moves Summit creates space for young minds to connect, grow, and be seen.”
But this is not just corporate philanthropy. It is a carefully constructed global agenda.
From Kazakhstan to the World: A Chess Ecosystem Emerges
Turlov’s passion for chess is more than symbolic. In 2022, he proposed and went on to establish the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), aiming to institutionalize youth chess development across borders. Under his guidance, Kazakhstan has rapidly emerged as a global chess hub — not by chance, but by strategy.
Over the past two years, Freedom Holding and Turlov personally have directed more than $11 million toward the development of chess infrastructure, youth training, and international tournaments in Kazakhstan. Investments have included scholarships, the establishment of regional chess academies, and sponsorship of high-profile events such as the Asian Chess Championship and Women's Grand Prix.
This growth isn’t just national pride — it’s part of a long-view strategy to anchor Central Asia on the map of intellectual sports.
Why Chess? Why Now?
The choice of chess as a philanthropic vector is revealing. “Chess fosters strategic thinking, patience, and resilience — traits essential not only in finance, but in the broader economy of the future,” said Turlov in an earlier interview with Kursiv. “We believe that teaching children to think several moves ahead gives them an edge — in life and in leadership.”
The link between financial literacy and strategic games isn’t new, but Turlov’s approach is unique in its scale. Through Freedom Holding’s expanding educational outreach and tournament backing, chess becomes not just a sport, but a training ground for the kind of disciplined thinking that modern economies increasingly value.
A Corporate Identity Beyond Markets
For a company operating across the U.S., Europe, and Central Asia, Freedom Holding’s chess involvement signals a deeper shift. As global businesses look for ways to root themselves in community development and cross-cultural values, chess presents an unexpected but potent bridge.
At the upcoming Smart Moves Summit, thought leaders in education and innovation will gather to examine how disciplines like chess can integrate into broader learning frameworks. Topics will range from digital tools in coaching to AI-powered strategy modeling — aligning well with Freedom Holding’s core identity as a tech-forward finance firm.
“Strategic thinking transcends the board,” Turlov noted. “It belongs in classrooms, offices, and communities.”
Looking Ahead
As Freedom Holding continues to expand globally, its chess-backed diplomacy may offer a blueprint for how corporations can contribute to youth development in meaningful, measurable ways. In a world where branding increasingly intersects with values, this initiative draws a clear line: strategy is not just for markets.
And for Turlov, that line runs through sixty-four squares — one move at a time.
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