Kazakhstan to ban banks, MFOs from imposing hidden services
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Kazakhstan plans to prohibit banks and microfinance organizations (MFOs) from imposing hidden services on customers. The measure aims to curb deceptive practices that inflate loan costs. A draft law is expected to be submitted to parliament later this year.
The Ban Scope
The prohibition will cover all hidden services added to loan agreements without explicit customer consent, including insurance, SMS alerts, and legal assistance. The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) will oversee compliance. Violators face fines of up to 1,000 monthly calculation indices (about 3.5 million tenge).
Consumer Impact
Consumer advocates estimate that hidden services account for 15-20% of total loan costs for some borrowers. The reform could save households an average of 50,000 tenge per year. The National Bank of Kazakhstan previously reported that complaints about hidden fees rose 30% in 2025.
What's Next
The draft law is expected to be published for public comment by September 2026. It remains unclear whether the ban will apply retroactively to existing contracts.
1 source
Kazakhstan to ban banks, MFOs from imposing hidden services
