News

A young population and a growing appetite for new experiences make Kazakhstan an increasingly attractive destination for international brands. However, launching a sustainable business in the country requires more than introducing a well-known name — it demands long-term investment in local capacity, infrastructure and market-specific adaptation.

Fast food landscape

Kazakhstan’s fast food industry has evolved steadily over the past two decades, attracting international players such as KFC, Burger King and Hardee’s. However, not all market entries have proven sustainable. McDonald’s, once a major player operating through a supply chain linked to Russia, exited the country in 2023 amid geopolitical...

Over 7.5 million foreign nationals have arrived in Kazakhstan since the beginning of 2025, an increase of 600,000 from last year, according to Baurzhan Alenov, deputy minister of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. As he noted, 90% of the arrivals are citizens of CIS member states.

«Over the first six months of 2025, more than 7.5 million people entered Kazakhstan (7.2 million of them later left), which is 600,000 more compared to the same period last year. Ninety percent come from the CIS countries,» the official said during the government session.

Regions with the most...

If one were to wake up a hundred years from now and be asked what Kazakhstani lawmakers and economists are tirelessly arguing about today, a confident answer would be: whether it’s time to dissolve Samruk-Kazyna, the nation’s sovereign wealth fund.

Criticism of Samruk-Kazyna in 2025 and 2022

Options for the reform

The fund vs. the cabinet’s objectives

Criticism of Samruk-Kazyna in 2025 and 2022

Since the beginning of the year, barely a month has passed without independent analysts, Kazakhstani media observers or MPs publicly criticizing the activities of Samruk-Kazyna. The depth of frustration is reflected...

A Kazakh stuntman performed a split between two moving fire trucks without fall protection in Uralsk.

A video, filmed for advertising purposes, spread across social media, featuring fire trucks manufactured by UralskAgroRemMash (UARM), a local producer of specialized vehicles.

UARM noted that the stunt was performed by a professional stuntman with many years of experience, under the supervision of specialists, while the video aimed to promote domestically produced fire-service equipment.

Almaty Bar Shift, the international bar week, gathered bar professionals from around the world in Kazakhstan’s largest city to share their experiences of promoting businesses and destinations through the art of drinks.

Cocktail week organizers and experts affiliated with global bar rankings, along with other global professionals, came to the city. From July 14 to 20, bartenders from bars featured in The World’s 50 Best Bars, Top 500 Bars and Michelin guides stood behind the counters of several Almaty establishments.

According to Kamila Lukpanova, head of the Almaty Tourism Bureau, the city has enormous potential in the field of...

Representatives of Silvercorp Metals Inc., a Canada-based mining company, held talks with officials in Astana to discuss cooperation prospects in the mining sector, according to Kazakh Invest’s press release.  

Silvercorp was represented by the company’s founder and CEO, Dr. Rui Feng (Ph.D., geology) and President Lon Shaver. On the Kazakhstani side, Azamat Kozhanov, deputy chairman of the board of Kazakh Invest, participated in the discussions.

Silvercorp expressed interest in geological exploration and developing deposits of precious and nonferrous metals in Kazakhstan, while also considering the possibility of establishing an office in the country.   

Kozhanov noted that Kazakhstan...

Kazakhstani company Astana Motors is set to become an official distributor of the Chery car brand in the Czech Republic. This fall, Chery will debut in Czechia with its two models, Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, equipped with gasoline and plug-in hybrid powertrains (PHEV). This is the first instance of a Kazakh business expanding into the European Union (EU) in this segment.

Chery’s entry into Czechia will be carried out with the active involvement of Astana Motors. The company has been successfully promoting the brand in Kazakhstan for several years, establishing a wide dealership network and local production in...

Paracetamol has emerged as the most popular over-the-counter (OTC) drug in Kazakhstan, with nearly 3 million packages sold in the past year. Rounding out the top five are sodium chloride, ethyl alcohol, acetylsalicylic acid and Citramon P.

Tracking demand

This fresh data comes from Kazakhstan’s newly implemented mandatory labeling and traceability system, Tañba, which gives the government full oversight of pharmaceutical distribution. According to the Ministry of Healthcare, every package is now tracked from production to pharmacy shelves.

The system aims to increase consumer safety and provide accurate data on market demand.

Over the past year, 417 million...

According to Ozon Holdings, the sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) on Ozon Bank will not affect the company’s operations in Kazakhstan or elsewhere.

On July 18, the EU introduced sanctions against Ozon Bank, an indirect subsidiary of Ozon Holdings, banning EU citizens from any transactions with the bank. However, the sanctions are not blocking, and Ozon Bank is not on the EU list of entities whose assets must be frozen.

«The EU sanctions imposed on Ozon Bank do not apply to Ozon Holdings or other Ozon group companies. Ozon Bank has no subsidiaries and...

Once in Almaty, the eye is immediately drawn to the mountains looming massively over the city. Despite their overall grandeur, anyone can now safely and comfortably enjoy this terrain, regardless of fitness level or trekking experience, as one of the most accessible gorges has become even more visitor-friendly after a portion of the trail was renovated and reopened to tourists.

Alma-Arasan Gorge, also known by its alternative name Prokhodnoye Gorge — named after the Prokhodnaya River that flows through it — is a perfect spot for beginner trekkers to experience mountain hiking, listen to the roar of the river, and...

Gulim Amirkhanova, a journalist and writer from Kazakhstan, appeared on the cover of a Guardian feature highlighting a global photo project about people and their sex toys.

My toys

The story profiles «My Toys,» a candid project by Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti that celebrates the devices and accessories people use in their erotic lives. Galimberti photographed individuals from around the world with their collections of sex toys, including Almaty-based writer Gulim.

«I don’t have a partner right now, so toys help me not to lose interest in sex,» Gulim said in an interview. «A close...

Anton Kistanov, a 34-year-old urologist-surgeon from Kostanay who was assaulted by a patient, has been transferred from intensive care to the neurology department. Last week, he was airlifted to the National Coordination Center for Emergency Medicine in Astana after losing consciousness, according to the media outlet Nash Kostanay.

Doctors diagnosed Kistanov with a closed craniocerebral injury, severe brain contusion, subdural hemorrhage on the right side of the brain, and a fracture of the occipital bone extending to the base of the skull.

His condition is now improving. He is conscious, communicative and fully oriented.

On the fourth day of the 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany, Kazakhstan’s Nodira Akhmedova, Tamerlan Tleules and Batyrkhan Toleugali each claimed a bronze medal, adding to the national team’s overall medal tally.

The Kazakh athletes fought hard but fell in the semifinals, each losing to the eventual Universiade champions. Akhmedova (up to 49 kg) was defeated by China’s Jingyue Ma. Tleules (up to 58 kg) lost to Ukraine’s Maksym Manenkov. Toleugali (up to 80 kg) fell to Korea’s Geonwoo Seo.

Notably, all three taekwondo fighters recently earned podium finishes at the prestigious Grand Prix Challenge in...

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has approved a new Tax Code and a related law introducing amendments to tax regulations, as reported by Akorda’s press service. 

The code, signed on July 18, facilitates tax administration, including a 30% reduction in tax reporting volume and a 20% reduction in the number of taxes. Among the key amendments is a transition to a 16% value-added tax (VAT). The new Tax Code will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Starting next year, a reduced VAT rate of 5% will apply to remedies and medical services, whereas in 2027, the rate will rise to 10%. Services...

Using Vladimir Lenin’s image and name in business branding is a high-risk strategy with polarizing appeal, one that can either attract a niche market or provoke significant backlash.

Whether Lenin serves as an effective brand for businesses tapping into «communist nostalgia» or «communist chic,» trends seen in some post-communist countries and certain Western subcultures, largely depends on the target audience and cultural context.

Not just a name

In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, a café-bistro called Lenina 36 (named for its address at the former Lenin Avenue) is drawing heavy criticism online before it has even opened its doors...

A plot of land intended for the development of a ski resort is up for sale in Butakovka, an elite neighborhood near Almaty. The price? Just $2.8 million, which is relatively modest for Kazakhstan’s largest city, known for its upscale lifestyle.

«The property is located just 3.5 kilometers from Dostyk Avenue, offering excellent transport accessibility and making it especially attractive for both tourists and locals,» the listing states.

Kazakhstan is reporting a rise in workplace violence against healthcare workers across the country. Minister of Health Akmaral Alnazarova issued an emotional appeal on social media, urging citizens to stop aggression toward doctors.

The appeal followed two unrelated assaults this week. In the first incident, a 42-year-old man attacked a nurse at a private clinic in Karaganda, causing her significant harm. He was immediately detained and later admitted to a mental health facility. In the second case, a young urologist at a regional hospital in Kostanay was brutally beaten by a patient who refused to wait his turn. The doctor...

One of the most anticipated music events of the year in Kazakhstan is opening its doors to even more Jennifer Lopez fans.

The organizers of the Jennifer Lopez and Backstreet Boys concerts in Kazakhstan have announced that additional space will be made available at J.Lo’s show in Almaty on Aug. 10. Tickets are priced at around $75 and are available via Ticketon.kz.

«We are introducing a new ticket category — the Free Zone, a dance space filled with the atmosphere of a large-scale show,» the statement said.

Meanwhile, Almaty Mayor Darkhan Satybaldy recently visited...

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has launched a consortium aimed at protecting the nation’s energy infrastructure from cyber threats. The group will be formed within the ministry’s Situational Analytical Center of the Fuel and Energy Complex, a research unit specializing in the country’s fuel and energy sector.

Uniting experts

The consortium includes the largest information security operations centers in Kazakhstan. These organizations have agreed to pool their efforts and resources with the government to safeguard strategic energy facilities.

The group’s first task will be to audit the cybersecurity of all critical infrastructure in the fuel and energy sector. Following...

The Aktobe Ferroalloy Plant in Kazakhstan has set a world record for the volume of ferrochrome produced in a single technological cycle. The plant’s metallurgists successfully extracted 177 tons of the product from a single electric arc furnace.

According to the press service of the Aktobe Region Governor’s Office, the achievement was officially recorded in the World Book of Records, under the supervision of independent experts and metrology service specialists. Furnace No. 43 was the unit that set the record.

Facility representatives noted that a furnace like this typically produces between 50 and 60 tons of ferroalloys, but new technological solutions...

Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants (KNPP), LLP — a state-owned company under the Samruk-Kazyna holding — has been transferred to the trust management of the Atomic Energy Agency (AEA).

«By Presidential Decree No. 861, dated April 28, 2025, the Limited Liability Partnership ‘Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants’ has been designated as a subordinate organization of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan. To expedite the partnership’s activities and accelerate the implementation of the nuclear power plant (NPP) construction project, a trust management agreement has been concluded with the agency,» the AEA said in a statement.

Euronews has finished filming two new episodes of its program «Modern Nomads» about the epic tourist routes of Kazakhstan. This time, the crew visited Baikonur and Katon-Karagay, as reported by Kazakh Tourism.  

Filming for both episodes has been completed, with broadcasts scheduled for September.

What Euronews filmed in Baikonur

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the crew managed to capture a rocket launch, which happens six to seven times a year on average.

The episode will showcase the Gagarin’s Start launch site, the Buran spacecraft, the museum of the Baikonur city and other notable locations.

Viewers will also see the dynamic...

The tenge rate fell to 532 per U.S. dollar during trading on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) on July 17, 2025, hitting an all-time low.

The last transaction at 11:48 Astana time was at 532.5 tenge per dollar. The tenge opened the trading session at 525.7 per dollar but fell 1.3% or 6.8 tenge during the session.

The 530 tenge-per-dollar mark was last reached after trading on the KASE in mid-January 2025.

Notably, the exchange rate at the end of a session on KASE has never reached 531 tenge per dollar in history.

In Almaty, exchange offices are...

Kazakhstani superstar Dimash Qudaibergen has adopted the image of a stern batyr — a heroic Kazakh warrior.

Qudaibergen shared photos of him in the striking new persona on Instagram, leaving fans barely able to recognize their favorite singer. Dimash had «grown out» shoulder-length hair and a beard. However, he has yet to reveal any details behind this image change.

«Hello from shooting,» he wrote briefly in the caption.

The post also includes a video capturing Qudaibergen skillfully swinging an ancient sword, reinforcing the image of a mighty warrior.