Kazakhstan plans to raise digital tenge turnover to ₸2 trillion

September 29, 2026 at 12:25 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan plans to increase digital tenge turnover to 2 trillion tenge within a year, up from about 350 billion tenge currently in circulation. The National Bank has completed 20 pilot projects and has 10 more underway, with over 60,000 transactions conducted. The digital currency is intended for social payments, public procurement, and infrastructure projects.

Key Facts

Kazakhstan plans to increase digital tenge turnover to 2 trillion tenge within a year, from about 350 billion tenge currently in circulation.
The National Bank has completed 20 pilot projects and has 10 more in progress, with over 60,000 transactions conducted.
In January–June 2026, the number of non-cash transactions in Kazakhstan grew by 5.1% to 7.1 billion, totaling 92.1 trillion tenge.
The Interbank Instant Payment System (MSMP) launched in July 2026 processed over 8 million transactions worth 210 billion tenge in its first month.

Digital Tenge Expansion

Kazakhstan plans to increase digital tenge turnover to 2 trillion tenge within a year, up from about 350 billion tenge currently in circulation. Pilot projects have directed funds to the Dostyk–Moiynty railway line construction, road repairs in Atyrau region, and farmer subsidies. The National Bank has completed 20 pilot projects and has 10 more in progress, with over 60,000 transactions conducted. Digital tenge is planned for social payments, public procurement, and large infrastructure projects. Asan Akhmetzhan, director of the National Bank's press service department, said digital tenge marking is effective for controlling targeted use of budget funds.

Non-Cash Payment Trends

In January–June 2026, the number of non-cash transactions in Kazakhstan grew by 5.1% to 7.1 billion, totaling 92.1 trillion tenge. Cash withdrawals decreased by 5.8% in number and 3.8% in amount. About 90% of non-cash payment value went through internet, mobile banking apps, and QR codes. QR payments were 38% higher in number than card payments via POS terminals, with a 13% gap in total amount. As of January 1, 2026, Kazakhstan had 84.6 million payment cards in circulation and 1,290,618 POS terminals.

Interbank Instant Payments

The Interbank Instant Payment System (MSMP) launched in July 2026, enabling transfers between customers of different banks by phone number and QR codes. In its first month, the system processed over 8 million transactions worth 210 billion tenge, according to the National Bank.