Kazakhstan’s external debt reached a record high of $172.8 billion at the end of June, according to analysts at Halyk Finance. While private companies hold about 71% of that debt, the latest increase is largely driven by the public and quasi-public sectors. Debt ratio and stability factors The country’s external…
On Nov. 20, Alphabet Inc.’s subsidiary Google established a new artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure hardware engineering center in Taiwan. According to Reuters, this marks the company’s largest center like this outside the U.S. According to a Google blog post, the new site will serve as a multidisciplinary hub for AI…
Microsoft and Westinghouse Nuclear are exploring ways to use artificial intelligence to accelerate the approval and construction of nuclear power plants in the U.S. But a new analysis from the AI Now Institute, cited by 404 Media, warns that this approach could introduce serious safety risks. Generative AI as a…
Vietnamese VinGroup is considering launching its EV taxi service, Xanh SM, in Kazakhstan. The company plans to establish a representative office in Almaty, which will work with the CIS region, Kazakh Invest reported. Kazakh Invest representatives held talks with the VinGroup SNG’s delegation, which included representatives of the group’s subsidiary…
Kazakhstan’s youngest workers — those aged 16 to 24, often referred to as Gen Z or «Zoomers» — earn less than any other age group in the country, according to data from Energyprom.kz. In 2025, Gen Z employees earned an average of 279,900 tenge ($535) a month, compared to over…
According to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, AI is the most important technology humanity has ever worked on. He believes it will reshape the future of work as some roles evolve and new opportunities appear. Those who adapt to AI tools «will do well in each of the professions.» However, if…
A global equities index signaled further declines in world markets, while Bitcoin fell below $90,000 for the first time in seven months, according to Bloomberg. The cryptocurrency’s slide extended a weeks-long downturn that has wiped out its gains for the year and shaken confidence across digital-asset markets. The pullback is…
Kazakhstan marked the 28th anniversary of its national currency, the tenge, this year. The National Bank introduced a new series of banknotes designed in a «Saka style.» Throughout its history, the tenge has undergone multiple redesigns, and some observers argue that these updates are occurring too frequently. In an interview…
Kazakhstan can supply nuclear power plants with uranium for decades, according to Gumar Sergazin, deputy chairman of Kazakhstan’s Agency for Atomic Energy. The country currently boasts about 1 million tons of natural uranium reserves, Sergazin reported at a recent Senate briefing. «Our uranium reserves will last for more than 60…
Kalamkas-Khazar Operating LLP (KKO), a joint venture equally owned by Russia’s Lukoil and Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas (KMG), remains on the U.S. sanctions list, according to the PACE Telegram channel. At PACE’s inquiry, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said that no official request has been…
Kazakh state-owned investment and development company Baiterek Holding and Malaysian automotive company PROTON have signed a memorandum of cooperation to develop the automotive industry in Kazakhstan and establish a national carmaker. Data on the brand name and the timeline for its establishment has not yet been disclosed. The document was…
According to Freedom Bank CEO Gulfairuz Akhmetova, Kazakhstan has the potential to develop a single QR code solution for all Central Asian countries — a move she says would benefit both tourists and entrepreneurs. Speaking at the Central Asia Fintech Summit, where Kazakhstan officially launched its interbank unified QR code,…
Kazakhstan has formally launched a unified interbank QR payment system, enabling customers of participating banks to make purchases at any terminal using a single QR code. The service debuted at the Central Asia Fintech Summit 2025. Freedom Bank, Bank CenterCredit, and Home Credit Bank were the initial participants. Halyk Bank,…
Kazakhstan has seen a steep increase in fuel prices since the start of 2025. According to the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the price of motor gasoline rose 11.2% compared with December 2024, while diesel fuel climbed 9.2%. The pace of growth has outstripped all other member states of the Eurasian…
Christopher Eppinger, a former intern at KazMunayGas — Kazakhstan’s national oil company — has reportedly made a profit of more than $250 million reselling Russian oil. Between 2022 and 2025, his company sold oil worth nearly $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. Born in 1994 in a small town…
Over the past three months, residents of Kazakhstan purchased nearly half a ton of gold — 9,110 minted bars weighing a total of 409 kilograms — according to the National Bank. Ten-gram bars remain the most popular. Almaty accounted for the largest share of purchases, with 5,874 bars, or 71%…
According to Madiyar Sultanbek, deputy chairman of Kazakh Invest, China will soon rise from fourth to third place in terms of the amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Kazakhstan. He hasn’t ruled out that China may eventually become the largest foreign investor in the country. «The People’s Republic of…
India’s fast-growing digital economy is fueling a rapid increase in data center construction, but this boom poses serious challenges: rising water consumption, soaring energy demand and threats to long-term sustainability, BBC reported. Driven by global demand for AI and cloud computing, India has become a major growth market for data…
China has introduced the K-visa, a new type of visa aimed at attracting top foreign professionals in science and technology, signaling Beijing’s determination to strengthen its leadership in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and robotics, Euronews reported. Officials announced the new visa last month, offering simpler application requirements than…
California-based 1X Technologies has opened preorders for its robot assistant, Neo. The company says Neo will help consumers achieve a chore-free future. A humanoid robot Developers claim that Neo can perform routine household tasks, such as folding laundry, placing items on shelves, and cleaning rooms. The robot can be controlled…
China has permitted Nexperia, a semiconductor company based in the Netherlands and owned by Chinese firm Wingtech, to export certain chips. This decision was made to address concerns among European carmakers about potential production delays, as reported by the BBC. In October, the Dutch government temporarily took over Nexperia to…
Kazakhstan’s PetroCouncil — an oil and gas industry association representing about 150 domestic oilfield service, engineering and manufacturing companies — has appealed to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov to protect local firms from what it calls dumping by Chinese companies in Kazakhstan’s petrochemical sector. Crowding out The council notes that foreign…
Tesla shareholders have approved CEO Elon Musk’s compensation plan, valued at up to $1 trillion, in what marks the largest corporate pay package in history. The proposal received more than 75% support at Tesla’s annual meeting at its Texas factory, where Musk appeared on stage alongside the company’s dancing robots,…
Kazakhstani flag carrier Air Astana has announced its largest order ever. Boeing will deliver 15 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, bringing the total order up to 18 planes worth $7 billion. «The order is in addition to the three Boeing 787-9 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2026–27, which now brings total commitments…
