Kazakhstan’s Bank CenterCredit (BCC) has become the first bank in the country to enable card-to-card transfers through UnionPay International. The new service, now available through BCC’s mobile app, allows users to send money from Kazakhstan to China and other countries using UnionPay cards, the bank announced in a press release.
Seamless cross-border transfers
UnionPay International is one of the world’s largest payment systems and a dominant player in transfers to China, largely through its Money Express service.
«Our partnership with UnionPay began with the launch of our multi-currency #DragonCard and #GoldCard, which have been especially popular with Kazakhstani travelers to China,» said Zhuldyz Kairzhanova, BCC’s vice president for retail business development. «Now, our clients have even more options to send money to UnionPay cards in China and beyond via the Bcc.kz mobile app.»
This move adds to a growing list of fintech collaborations between Kazakhstan and China. In September 2024, Aitu-Payment Solutions, a local instant payment system operator, signed a memorandum with Chinese platforms Alipay and WeChat Pay. The company said that the partnership would enable seamless cross-border transfers between the two countries, with a full rollout expected in 2025.
Non-cash transactions on the rise
In early 2025, the number of payment card transactions in Kazakhstan surpassed 1 billion, with a total transaction value of $29.9 billion. The growth has been driven largely by a sharp rise in non-cash payments, most of which were made via internet and mobile banking, as well as point-of-sale (POS) terminals.
Seventeen banks and Qazpost, the country’s national postal operator, currently issue cards from major international payment systems including Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express and Diners Club.
As of Jan. 1, 2025, there were 54.6 million international payment cards in circulation across Kazakhstan. That number rose to 56.7 million by Feb. 1, reflecting a continued surge in demand. Banks in Kazakhstan have increased issuance of Visa and Mastercard products, partly in response to reports that the validity period of cards issued to non-residents may soon be limited to just one year.
