Kazakhstan to launch cross-border QR payments with China by end of 2026

September 11, 2026 at 02:03 PM2 min

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Kazakhstan's National Bank is working on cross-border QR payments with 11 countries, with China expected to go live by the end of 2026. Deputy Governor Binur Zhalenov announced the plan at the Central Asia FinTech Summit, noting that agreements have already been signed for several corridors. The system will allow Kazakh citizens to pay abroad using their own banking apps and QR codes.

Key Facts

Kazakhstan is working on cross-border QR payments with 11 countries, including China, India, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
The China corridor is expected to be operational by the end of 2026, with other countries phased in by mid-2027.
Deputy Governor Binur Zhalenov said banks will set their own fees for cross-border QR transactions, as the National Bank does not regulate client commissions.
In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan processed 7.1 billion cashless transactions worth 92.1 trillion tenge, with about 90% via internet banking, mobile apps, and QR payments.
Kazakhstan's IT service exports reached $1.142 billion in 2025, compared to $429 million in imports of foreign digital solutions.

Cross-Border QR Expansion

The National Bank of Kazakhstan is developing cross-border QR payment links with 11 countries, including China, India, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Deputy Governor Binur Zhalenov said the China corridor should be live by the end of 2026, with other countries phased in by mid-2027. The system will let Kazakh citizens pay abroad by scanning a QR code with their existing banking app, and foreign visitors will be able to pay in Kazakhstan the same way. Zhalenov noted that not all merchants have yet replaced static QR code stickers for the unified QR standard.

Fee Structure and Bank Role

Banks will determine their own fees for cross-border QR transactions, as the National Bank does not regulate client commissions. Zhalenov emphasized that the commission amount always remains with the bank serving the customer.

Financial Infrastructure Export

National Bank Chairman Timur Suleimenov said Kazakhstan aims to turn its financial infrastructure into an export product and promote domestic financial services abroad. In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan recorded 7.1 billion cashless transactions worth 92.1 trillion tenge, with about 90% via internet banking, mobile apps, and QR payments. Lending to the economy reached 53.2 trillion tenge as of July 1, 2026, up 16.5% year-on-year, with 25.4 trillion tenge to businesses and 27.8 trillion tenge to households. Kazakhstan's IT service exports totaled $1.142 billion in 2025, against $429 million in imports of foreign digital solutions.