Kazakhstan | 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 central bank is drawing on lessons from Norway, the US and Middle East in developing its crypto strategy. Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund has reportedly identified cryptocurrencies as a viable asset class for inclusion in the country’s national reserves, with the central bank drawing lessons from allocation strategies used in Norway, the United States and the Middle East. According to Kursiv, a local media outlet registered with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Information, the country plans to invest a portion of its gold and foreign exchange reserves — as well as assets held by its sovereign wealth fund — into crypto-related instruments. Kursiv cited Timur Suleimenov, head of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, who said at a press conference that the central bank is exploring “aggressive strategies to [generate] higher investment income,” which “does not exclude” allocating part of its holdings to crypto-related funds. Read more

Kazakhstan’s central bank is set to establish a state-run crypto reserve, likely funded by seized digital assets and government-linked mining. The National Bank of Kazakhstan plans to establish a state-managed cryptocurrency reserve, according to a Monday report by government news agency Kazinform. Local authorities are studying the development of a crypto reserve, which would follow international practices. Typically, such reserves are likely to be funded with expropriated digital assets and state-run crypto mining operations, the report said. National Bank of Kazakhstan Chairman Timur Suleimenov acknowledged the volatility and risks associated with crypto assets. He said that placing the reserve under the control of a centralized institution would ensure proper oversight and risk management. Read more

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced plans to build “CryptoCity,” aiming to establish a regulatory sandbox for digital assets. Kazakhstan plans to launch “CryptoCity,” a pilot zone where cryptocurrencies can be used to pay for goods and services, the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said. according to a May 29 announcement on the official website of President . Speaking at the Astana International Forum 2025, Tokayev said the pilot zone will be used to explore cryptocurrency adoption within a regulated sandbox environment. “We are planning to create a pioneering pilot zone called CryptoCity where cryptocurrencies might be used for purchasing goods, services, and even beyond,” he said in his remarks, a transcript of which was published on the president’s official website. 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