Central Asia | Crypto

The growing role of platforms like BitGo in spot Bitcoin products worldwide is a double-edged sword, according to market observers. BitGo, a US-regulated crypto custodian, will safeguard assets for Central Asia’s first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), which debuted Wednesday on the Astana International Exchange in Kazakhstan. The Astana International Exchange (AIX), a stock exchange operating within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) framework, announced the listing of the Fonte Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (BETF) on Wednesday. Managed by AIFC-registered asset manager Fonte Capital, BETF offers indirect investment access to Bitcoin (BTC) to a wide range of investors, including retail participants, AIX said. Read more

Kazakhstan’s digital minister says lifting crypto restrictions and expanding regulations could turn the country into Central Asia’s top blockchain hub. Kazakhstan has the potential to become a leading crypto hub in Central Asia if regulatory restrictions are eased, according to Kanysh Tuleushin, the country’s first vice minister of digital development, innovation and aerospace industry. In a recent op-ed for the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper, Tuleushin said digital mining and smart policy shifts could position Kazakhstan as a regional leader in blockchain innovation. “If all restrictions were lifted and digital asset trading was allowed across Kazakhstan, the impact could be significant,” he wrote.   Read more