Kazakhstan to expand digital tenge pilot to 50 projects in August
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Kazakhstan will expand its digital tenge pilot to 50 projects in August, including mandatory use for budget expenditures over 100 million tenge. The pilot currently covers 20 completed and 10 ongoing projects, with 340 billion digital tenge in circulation. The expansion faces challenges, including subcontractors' unpreparedness for smart contracts.
Pilot Scope and Scale
The government has approved the legal framework for the digital tenge platform. Currently, 340 billion digital tenge are in circulation, with 20 pilot projects completed and 10 ongoing. Another 50 projects are being prepared for launch. The pilots cover infrastructure construction, budget lending, subsidies, grants, public procurement, tax administration, and purchases by the National Bank and quasi-state entities.
Mandatory Use Threshold
Digital tenge will be mandatory for eight categories of budget expenditures exceeding 100 million tenge. Starting in August, it will be used for state procurement of goods, medicines, fuel, and other material reserves. The Ministry of Finance has prepared a package of amendments to create the necessary legal mechanism for mandatory use.
Implementation Barriers
A key issue remains ensuring traceability of budget funds from the general contractor to the final executor. In practice, subcontracting organizations are often unprepared to conclude smart contracts for digital tenge use, as current legislation lacks relevant requirements. The Ministry of Finance has drafted amendments to address this gap.
What's Next
The government plans to launch the expanded pilot in August 2026. It remains unclear whether subcontractors will adapt to smart contract requirements in time, and whether the legal amendments will be adopted before the launch.
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Kazakhstan to expand digital tenge pilot to 50 projects in August
