Kazakhstan tightens bank account rules for foreigners with biometric checks

September 13, 2026 at 04:00 PM2 min

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Kazakhstan's financial regulator has registered new rules requiring biometric verification through the National Bank's identity exchange center for foreign nationals opening bank accounts. The rules also mandate enhanced due diligence for non-residents and e-residents, including analysis of source of funds and tax status. The measures aim to curb card tourism and protect the banking system from secondary sanctions.

Key Facts

The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market registered Resolution No. 126 with the Ministry of Justice, tightening account opening rules for non-residents and e-residents.
Banks must use the National Bank's identity exchange center (COID) for biometric verification, including liveness detection to prevent deepfakes.
Clients get a maximum of three consecutive biometric attempts before the session is blocked and manual verification is required.
Banks must store video recordings of identification sessions and metadata such as IP address and device ID for at least five years.
Enhanced due diligence for non-residents includes analysis of source of funds, tax status, and economic purpose of the account, with high-risk clients added to an anti-fraud registry.

Biometric Verification Requirements

Banks are prohibited from using simplified facial recognition algorithms for remote account opening by foreign nationals. Primary and repeated remote account opening, as well as linking new devices, require verification through the National Bank's identity exchange center (COID). Biometric checks must include liveness detection to confirm a live person is present in real time, protecting against photo substitution and deepfakes. A client is allowed no more than three consecutive biometric attempts; after failure, the session is blocked and the client is transferred to enhanced manual verification. When a client changes smartphone, SIM card, or reinstalls the application, access to the account is suspended until repeated biometric verification is completed.

Enhanced Due Diligence

Non-residents and e-residents are now subject to mandatory Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), including deep analysis of source of funds, tax status, and economic purpose of opening an account. If there is any suspicion of involvement in gray schemes, money muling, or transactions to unlicensed online casinos, the client is assigned a high risk level and entered into an anti-fraud incident registry. The regulator's measures are expected to make it practically impossible to obtain a Kazakhstani bank card remotely, by power of attorney, or without confirming real presence in Kazakhstan through an employment contract, residence permit, business activity, or study. Banks are likely to refuse service to suspicious non-residents rather than risk compliance status and secondary restrictions from international payment systems.