National Bank of Kazakhstan revises debt burden and auto loan rules
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The National Bank of Kazakhstan's board adopted a resolution amending rules for calculating borrowers' debt burden and solvency, according to a July 31 document that has not yet taken effect. The changes extend exemptions from debt-service ratio requirements for certain auto loans until end‑2026 and tighten criteria for identifying gambling‑related risky borrowers. Banks will also face stricter verification of income sources to prevent artificial inflation of solvency.
Auto Loan Exemptions
The National Bank extended until December 31, 2026, the suspension of debt‑service ratio (KDN) limits for certain car purchase loans. The exemption covers new vehicles registered in Kazakhstan for the first time and used cars that meet down‑payment thresholds — at least 50% of the value for vehicles with mileage, and at least 30% for cars up to three years old. Currently, the KDN cap stands at 0.5, meaning monthly loan payments must not exceed half of a borrower’s average monthly income.
Tighter Debt Assessment Criteria
The resolution refines the definition of borrowers actively involved in gambling: individuals who made six or more payments to gambling operators exceeding 300,000 tenge in total over the preceding six months. For such borrowers and recipients of targeted social assistance, banks may only consider officially confirmed income when assessing solvency. A new three‑stage debt‑to‑income (KDD) calculation procedure is introduced — first, borrower solvency; second, the ratio for a specific loan type (consumer, mortgage, auto); and third, across all outstanding debt. Income verification rules now require that earnings appear in at least two of the last six months, with exceptions for tax‑documented sources. Monthly credit‑card payments are set at 10% of the used credit limit.
What's Next
The resolution must undergo registration with the Ministry of Justice before it enters into force. It remains unclear how quickly commercial banks will adapt their underwriting systems to the new three‑stage KDD methodology.
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National Bank of Kazakhstan revises debt burden and auto loan rules
