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…
Russia and Kazakhstan may jointly lay a fiber-optic cable along the bottom of the Caspian Sea to establish direct connections between Russian regions and Armenia, Iran and Kazakhstan, Interfax reported. According to Russian Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev, the two countries — along with their respective telecom operators, Rostelecom…
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, Timur Turlov’s Freedom Holding Corp. and the government of Kazakhstan have signed a strategic agreement in Washington. According to the document, 165,000 teachers in Kazakhstan will gain access to ChatGPT Edu, a special version of ChatGPT designed for students and teachers that features enhanced privacy…
Kazakhstan and the U.S. have signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals. Signed in the presence of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Washington, the agreement aims to enhance Kazakhstan-U.S. cooperation in extracting and processing critical minerals. Minister of Industry and Construction Yersaiyn Nagaspayev signed the memorandum for Kazakhstan, while…
The company AROOT Kazakhstan Ltd. has been registered under the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) jurisdiction, as shown in the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) registry data. The company’s business nature is listed as «activities of holding companies.» The authorized share capital is $500,000, with 500,000 shares issued at $1…
Foreign digital companies have paid 118.4 billion tenge (approximately $225.5 million) to Kazakhstan’s budget since the value-added tax (VAT) was introduced for international digital companies operating in the country in 2022. According to Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee, this year the amount reached 48.6 billion tenge ($92.5 million). How much did…
Saudi Arabia is leveraging its low-cost energy and Aramco’s investment drive to become a global leader in artificial intelligence, positioning itself as a future international hub for AI, CNBC reported, citing Aramco CEO Amin Nasser. According to Nasser, the Kingdom’s low-cost energy gives it an edge in AI data infrastructure:…
The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, one of Tesla’s largest investors, said it will vote against Elon Musk’s new compensation package, which could be worth up to $1 trillion over a decade, according to the Associated Press. The fund, which manages Norway’s Government Pension Fund and holds about 1.16% of Tesla’s…
