Published
04/24/2026, 17:59A zone has been established in Kazakhstan where cryptocurrency replaces the tenge. Within this zone, it is legal to pay using cryptocurrency. This has been reported by the Kazakhstani media.
Today, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was shown the country’s first crypto payment, made via the CryptoPay system. For now, the area is limited and is known as CryptoCity. The zone is located in the Alatau district, where cryptocurrency can be used to pay for goods, services and property as part of a pilot scheme.
The active development of digital asset regulation continues in Kazakhstan. From 1 May 2026, digital assets in Kazakhstan will be officially equated with property and included in the Civil Code. This will allow standard rules of sale and purchase to be applied to cryptocurrencies and will resolve legal disputes related to digital assets.
The National Bank views digital assets as the foundation for the formation of a new financial market sector. Potential areas of development include the tokenisation of real estate, digital bonds and the development of crypto-fiat payment services. The licensing of crypto exchanges and their operation within the framework of tax and financial regulation is also under discussion.
In addition, pilot projects have already been launched in the country: testing cryptocurrency payments via QR codes, the issuance of a tenge-pegged stablecoin, and the tokenisation of the National Bank’s gold reserves. Some banks have also begun testing crypto-fiat cards, which allow digital assets to be automatically converted into tenge at the point of payment.
