ITS launches weekend trading on October 31
International trading hub ITS is introducing weekend securities trading in Kazakhstan for the first time, running on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 24:00 Astana time.
Source: kapital.kzMarket feed
Everything that happens
Every event in Central Asia's fintech market — briefly, with a link to the source. Analysis and explainers are in our news.
October 30
October 29
KASE expands Islamic screening list to include foreign equities
The Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), together with fintech company Ailat, has added 32 foreign equities traded on NASDAQ and NYSE to its Islamic screening service, including Apple, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Alphabet, Tesla, Meta Platforms, Coca-Cola, and Chevron.
Source: t.me/KASEofficialKazakhstani Banks' Loan Portfolio Reaches 46.3 Trillion Tenge
As of September 1, 2026, the loan portfolio of Kazakhstan's second-tier banks reached 46.3 trillion tenge, up 13.1% year-on-year.
Source: ranking.kzOctober 28
Kurultai ratifies EAEU protocol on mutual recognition of bank guarantees in public procurement
According to kapital.kz, Kazakhstan's Kurultai has passed in two readings a law ratifying a protocol amending the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, establishing the mutual recognition of bank guarantees in public procurement across EAEU member states.
Source: kapital.kzOctober 24
ANORBANK launches UZCARD KIDS Moment card for children
ANORBANK has become the first in Uzbekistan to launch the pre-issued UZCARD KIDS Moment children's card, which can be set up in a few minutes and linked to a parent's account in the bank's app.
Source: t.me/uzcardHead of National Bank of Kazakhstan: Base Rate Cuts Take 9–12 Months to Affect Loan Rates
Timur Suleimenov said commercial banks do not rewrite loan agreements immediately after a base rate cut, as rates are already locked into existing client contracts.
Source: kz.kursiv.mediaOctober 23
National Bank loses 945 billion tenge on pension asset FX revaluation
According to inbusiness.kz, the National Bank of Kazakhstan lost **945 billion tenge** on the revaluation of UAPF foreign currency investments — 592.26 billion tenge from FX asset revaluation and 352.78 billion tenge from externally managed assets.
Source: inbusiness.kzUzbekistan pays out 207.5B UZS in compensation to depositors of shuttered Yangi Bank
Uzbekistan's Deposit Guarantee Agency has completed payout of 207.5 billion UZS in compensation to depositors of the shuttered Yangi Bank JSC, agency director Ulugbek Khamdamov announced at a media briefing on October 21.
Source: daryo.uzOctober 22
Otbasy Bank may remove 200,000 people from housing waitlist after audit
According to kapital.kz, about 200,000 of the more than one million Kazakhstanis on the subsidized housing waitlist could be removed for failing to meet eligibility criteria.
Source: kapital.kzRemittances to Kyrgyzstan Reached $269.6M in August
Total money transfers to Kyrgyzstan reached **$269.6 million** in August 2026, with $240.9 million arriving from CIS countries and $28.7 million from the rest of the world.
Source: t.me/NBKR_newsOctober 20
SQB's Capital Grows by 9.9% in the First Nine Months of 2026
Uzbek bank SQB saw growth across its key financial metrics in the first nine months of 2026.
Source: t.me/sqbuzKaspi.kz launches tourist eSIM sales for international roaming
Kazakh fintech Kaspi.kz has added a virtual SIM card sales service for international roaming to its app, covering 160 countries.
Source: profit.kzHalyk Bank to close over 35,000 inactive business accounts
Halyk Bank has announced the closure of more than 35,000 current accounts belonging to sole proprietors and legal entities that have shown no activity for over a year.
Source: profit.kzKazakhstan's Retail Deposits Top 30.5 Trillion Tenge in First Eight Months of 2026
Retail deposits across Kazakhstan's banks grew 8.3% to top **30.5 trillion tenge** between January and August 2026, with the entire increase driven by local-currency funds.
Source: kapital.kzOctober 19
Bank cards account for 91.9% of gas station payments in Uzbekistan
In September 2026, the share of cashless bank card payments at Uzbekistan's gas stations rose to 91.9% of total transaction volume.
Source: daryo.uzBank Eskhata Named to Global Finance's World's Safest Banks Ranking
Global Finance has once again included Tajikistan's Bank Eskhata in its annual World's Safest Banks ranking.
Source: t.me/bank_eskhataAlbi pawnshops issued loans at six times the legal rate limit
According to kapital.kz, citing the Financial Monitoring Agency, authorities in the Almaty region shut down the Albi pawnshop chain, which had continued operating under the new name Albi-KM after being stripped of its microfinance license.
Source: kapital.kzOctober 16
Two New Participants Join KASE Digital Asset Platform
Paidax Limited and investment firm Standard have joined Kazakhstan Stock Exchange's digital financial asset and digital asset platform.
Source: t.me/KASEofficialOctober 15
National Bank of Kazakhstan publishes results of expert macroeconomic survey
The National Bank of Kazakhstan has published the results of a macroeconomic survey of 14 organizations, with experts revising their inflation forecasts downward.
Source: t.me/nationalbankkzOctober 14
Labor Ministry: Banks to share account data of state aid recipients starting 2027
According to Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertayev, banks will begin sharing account and deposit data of families applying for state aid with the ministry starting January 1, 2027, subject to recipient consent.
Source: kapital.kzAFM Shuts Down Money Mule Farms for Online Casinos: One Group Moved 9.8B Tenge
Kazakhstan's Financial Monitoring Agency has dismantled transnational crime rings running money mule farms to process online casino payments via bank accounts of Kazakh, Uzbek, and Kyrgyz citizens.
Source: kapital.kzUzbekistan to cut customs fee on inbound parcels by 20%
Starting November 1, the customs processing fee for international courier shipments in Uzbekistan will drop by 20%, from 8,800 to **7,040 soums** per kilogram.
Source: spot.uzOctober 13
Ministry of Economy and Finance adds 24 companies to register of public interest entities
According to spot.uz, Uzbekistan's Ministry of Economy and Finance added **24 new companies** to the register of public interest entities, bringing the total from 425 to 449.
Source: spot.uzE-money transaction volume in Kazakhstan reaches 959.5 billion tenge in H1
E-money transaction volume in Kazakhstan reached **959.5 billion tenge** in January–June 2026, up 46.4% year-on-year and 91.3% over two years.
Source: ranking.kzOctober 10
Uzum Market resumes operations after two-day outage
Uzbek marketplace Uzum Market has restored operations across its website, mobile app, and seller portal following an Oct. 8 technical outage.
Source: spot.uzKyrgyzstan's construction loan portfolio doubles in the first half of the year
The World Bank reported that Kyrgyzstan's construction loan portfolio more than doubled year-over-year as of June 2026.
Source: tazabek.kgOctober 9
Uzbekistan's gold and foreign exchange reserves shrank by $5.5bn in September
As of October 1, Uzbekistan's gold and foreign exchange reserves stood at **$66.58bn**, falling by $5.54bn over the month due to lower global gold prices and a decline in foreign currency assets.
Source: spot.uzNGDEM Global Limited joins DFA and digital assets platform on KASE
NGDEM Global Limited has become a new participant in the digital financial assets and digital assets platform of the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange.
Source: t.me/KASEofficialANORBANK approves 100 billion UZS additional share issue
Uzbek lender ANORBANK has received shareholder approval for an additional share issue worth **100 billion UZS** to attract investment under its capital strengthening plan.
Source: t.me/anorbankOctober 8
Otbasy Bank Suspends Mortgage Refinancing Loans Until October 23
Kazakhstan's Otbasy Bank has temporarily stopped issuing loans to pay off mortgage debt at other banks and financial institutions through October 23, 2026.
Source: inbusiness.kzNBU rolls out online microloans at 25% APR
National Bank of Uzbekistan has started issuing online microloans through the Milliy app for NBU payroll clients and public sector employees.
Source: t.me/nbu_officialRecommended Rate on Foreign Currency Deposits Over 12 Months Rises to 2.5% per Annum
Starting October 1, 2026, Kazakhstan raised the recommended maximum rate on foreign currency savings deposits with terms over 12 months from 1% to **2.5% per annum**.
Source: kapital.kz59.7% of Uzbekistan's Population Holds Financial Accounts, Trailing Neighbors
According to the World Bank's Global Findex 2025, 59.7% of Uzbekistan's population aged 15 and older held a financial account in 2025, compared with 87% in Kazakhstan, 72.3% in Kyrgyzstan, and 54.5% in Tajikistan.
Source: ranking.kzAssets of Kazakhstan's Islamic Banks Surge 33-Fold in 16 Years
In August 2026, assets of Kazakhstan's Islamic banks reached **315.3 billion tenge** compared to 9.6 billion tenge in August 2010, yet their share in the banking sector remains at 0.42%.
Source: ranking.kzOctober 7
FTSE Russell upgrades Kazakhstan market rating across four quality criteria
Following its September review, FTSE Russell upgraded Kazakhstan across four market quality criteria, with no indicators downgraded.
Source: t.me/KASEofficialFTSE Russell Upgrades Kazakhstan Market Ratings Across Four Criteria
Following its September review, FTSE Russell upgraded Kazakhstan's ratings across four market quality criteria, with no downgrades recorded.
Source: t.me/KASEofficialOctober 6
Corporate deposits in Kazakh banks drop 3.9%
Corporate deposits in Kazakh banks fell 3.9% in August to **21.6 trillion tenge**, according to the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market.
Source: kapital.kzNew SME loan issuance in Kazakhstan grows 47.3% year-on-year
In August 2026, Kazakhstani banks issued new loans to SMEs whose volume grew by 47.3% year-on-year, according to the Agency for Regulation and Business Financing.
Source: kapital.kzKazakh bank profits drop 13.6% in first eight months of the year
Net profit at Kazakhstan’s banks reached **1.6 trillion tenge** since the start of 2026, down 13.6% compared to the same period in 2025.
Source: kapital.kzOctober 5
Remittances from Kazakhstan abroad halved in August
The volume of cross-border money transfers via money transfer systems in Kazakhstan dropped from 56.4 billion tenge in July to **27.9 billion tenge** in August, marking the lowest figure since April 2020.
Source: ranking.kz