InvestFest 2025 in Ukraine: Key Insights from the Online Investment Conference for Independence Day
On August 21, 2025, on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day, the financial portal Minfin hosted the InvestFest 2025 online conference. The event lasted over seven hours and brought together more than 20 investors, financiers, and entrepreneurs who discussed how Ukrainians can preserve and grow their money amidst war and economic uncertainty.
Why InvestFest 2025 is important for Ukraine
Since the full-scale invasion, the topic of personal finance has become particularly relevant for Ukrainians. Rising inflation, fluctuations in the hryvnia exchange rate, and restrictions on foreign currency transactions are forcing people to seek effective ways to preserve their capital.
The organizers of InvestFest described their conference as a response to public demand: to explain modern investment tools in simple terms, using real-world examples and without promotional "bait."
The conference also held symbolic significance: InvestFest 2025 was timed to coincide with Independence Day. The organizers emphasized that financial literacy in Ukraine is one of the essential components of national independence.
Participants learned:
- how to build their first investment portfolio in Ukraine;
- how to start investing from $100;
- what opportunities are offered by government bonds (OVDP), ETFs, and cryptocurrencies in Ukraine.
Format and partners of InvestFest 2025
InvestFest 2025 became one of the first large-scale financial literacy events in Ukraine that was open to everyone and free of charge. The program featured six thematic blocks: from the basics of investing to in-depth topics on real estate investment in Ukraine, land investment 2025, ETFs in Ukraine, and cryptocurrencies in Ukraine.
A major emphasis was placed on practical application: participants were shown real-world cases, investment calculators, and the opportunity to build their own investment portfolio.
The conference was supported by leading companies: ICU (an independent investment group and the largest broker in the government bond market for Ukrainians), Zeminvest and the "First Land Investment Fund" (services providing easy access to land investments), Exchange University, EasyVending, the S1 REIT tool, and the investment fund OTP Capital — one of the leaders in the asset management market.
After a brief opening statement by the organizers, the first speaker was Vladyslav Svystunov, an asset manager at ICU. His presentation, "The Finish Before the Start: What Makes Investment Decisions Unique," emphasized that the key to investing is not just entering a position correctly, but also planning a strategic exit in advance. He advised choosing investment tools based on goals and investment horizons, while keeping the importance of liquidity in mind.
Naida Khotynska, founder of Pro Invest Academy, provided a historical overview of financial crises. The speaker analyzed the largest market crashes and noted that panic and spontaneous decisions only harm investors. Her advice is to stick to the chosen strategy, balance the portfolio, and not give in to emotions.
Financial "pitfalls" for investors was the topic of Vasyl Matiy's speech. He identified the most common mistakes: lack of diversification, investing without risk analysis, and attempts to "beat" the market. The speaker emphasized that every wrong decision can cost significant funds.
Financial independence, youth education, and investments in Ukraine
Roman Koshovskyi, a well-known popularizer of the FIRE movement, reminded the audience that financial independence is not the end, but the beginning of living life by one's own rules. He emphasized the need for conscious consumption and finding meaning beyond capital accumulation.
Yuliia Babenko spoke about iPlan.ua's experience in teaching financial literacy to teenagers. The speaker urged parents not to put off "adult" topics and explained how the iPlan Teens program helps adolescents form a healthy attitude toward money.
Pavlo Boiko, founder of Gonzo Invest, compared the profitability of his investments with the results of the S&P 500 index: from 2017 to 2024, his portfolio grew by 1,561%, while the S&P 500 showed only 159%. He explained in detail how to invest in Ukrainian government bonds and other debt instruments.
Dmytro Kurenkov from EasyVending noted that automated retail (vending) could become a new driver for small business development. He demonstrated that installing vending machines requires relatively little capital but provides a stable cash flow.
Svitlana Parandii from OTP Capital focused on retirement planning. She explained how non-state pension funds (NPF) work in Ukraine and advised building retirement capital as early as possible to be able to live, not just survive, after retirement.
After the break, Volodymyr Kopot, a well-known blogger and founder of the Monitor.Estate service, examined the prospects for Ukrainian real estate. He warned that housing investments require careful analysis: a property can provide passive income, but there is a risk of unexpected expenses related to repairs or legislative changes.
Oleksandr Chornyi, co-founder of Zeminvest, explained that Ukraine's land market has great potential. He noted that while land prices remain relatively low, investors can lay the foundation for stable passive income or future capital appreciation.
Mykyta Huppal focused on ETFs. According to him, exchange-traded funds allow for investment even with small amounts and provide the opportunity to profit from the growth of entire economic sectors, which reduces the risks associated with individual companies.
Olena Nabatova, author of the book "Financial Genius," shared strategies for investing in cryptocurrency. She advised avoiding the hype cycle and investing only in researched projects, while adhering to the rules of diversification and risk management.
Viktor Boichuk from S1 REIT talked about tools that make commercial real estate investments accessible to the general public. REIT funds allow for investing money in large real estate objects, generating passive income without the need to manage the property personally.
Oleksandra Nikitina, a lawyer and partner at a law firm, clarified how legislation is changing in 2025 and which tax traps to avoid. She provided practical recommendations on structuring a portfolio with tax benefits in mind and suggested seeking professional consultation when planning large transactions.
Panel discussion: investments beyond the hype
The final element of the conference was a panel discussion titled "Where do those who actually earn money invest? Investments that aren't hyped yet." It was moderated by professional investor Dmytro Karpilovskyi. The participants — Oleksii Kozyriev (Minfin), Tetiana Borymska (investor and founder of an investment school), Oles Varenyk (Investhub), and Serhii Sorokunskyi (agri-entrepreneur) — shared their own cases. They discussed investments in government bonds, land shares, cryptocurrencies, the vending business, and other niches that have not yet become mainstream.
Conclusion
InvestFest 2025 demonstrated that the demand for financial literacy in Ukraine is no longer theoretical but practical — people are looking for concrete tools, not motivational slogans.
If you missed the broadcast, watch the recordings on the official YouTube channel of the financial portal "Minfin". And to apply your knowledge in practice, create your first cryptocurrency investment portfolio on WEEX.
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