One million customers use Kaspi.kz's AI assistant Kasper
Since its launch on July 1, one million customers of the Kazakh platform Kaspi.kz have used the personal AI assistant Kasper.
Source: profit.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.
September 23
ARDFM drafts new rules for collective settlement of overdue loans
Kazakhstan's Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market has drafted rules allowing borrowers with overdue debts across multiple lenders to settle them via the unified Finkelisim.kz platform, which has been operational since July 1, 2026.
Source: kapital.kzCentral Bank of Azerbaijan Holds Refinancing Rate at 6.5%
According to inbusiness.kz, the Central Bank of Azerbaijan left its refinancing rate unchanged at **6.5%** and the upper corridor limit at 7.5% on September 23, but trimmed the lower floor from 5.5% to 5.0%.
Source: inbusiness.kzKyrgyz regulator fines company for refusing to accept som
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has fined a Bishkek company for unreasonably refusing to accept national currency banknotes for payment.
Source: nbkr.kgNet Sales of Chinese Yuan in Kazakhstan Drop 45.9% in Seven Months
Kazakhstani currency exchange offices cut net sales of cash Chinese yuan to 303 million tenge in January–July 2026, down from 559.7 million tenge in the same period of 2025.
Source: ranking.kzKazakhstan Plans to Introduce 'Islamic Windows' to Develop Takaful
Kazakhstan has outlined an option for existing insurance companies to offer Islamic insurance products without setting up a separate entity via an "Islamic window" mechanism.
Source: gov.kzNational Bank of Kyrgyzstan revokes exchange bureau Bashat KG's license
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has revoked the foreign currency cash exchange license of exchange bureau LLC Bashat KG for regulatory violations.
Source: t.me/NBKR_newsSolva raises 1.18B tenge from AG Holding
Kazakh fintech platform Solva has raised an additional 1.18 billion tenge ($2.5 million) in equity from existing shareholder AG Holding.
Source: kapital.kzSeptember 22
75% of Kazakhstan's banks adopt artificial intelligence
Three-quarters of Kazakh banks use AI in credit scoring, fraud prevention, and marketing, according to the "Fintech in Kazakhstan 2026" study by RISE Research.
Source: profit.kzIndustrial and Commercial Bank of China in Almaty Secures Universal Banking License
The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of Kazakhstan has issued universal banking license No. 1.1.930.149 to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in Almaty JSC.
Source: gov.kzRemittances to Kyrgyzstan reached $279.5M in July
In July 2026, Kyrgyzstan received **$279.5 million** in money transfers, with $262.1 million coming from CIS countries and $17.4 million from the rest of the world.
Source: t.me/NBKR_newsKazakhstan regulator warns of fake investment platforms
Kazakhstan's financial regulator has warned the public about fraud involving fake investment platforms that clone official websites of banks and investment firms.
Source: t.me/finregkzKazakhstan plans to establish an Insurance Competency Development Center
According to the @finregkz Telegram channel, Kazakhstan plans to establish an Insurance Competency Development Center under the Insurance Payment Guarantee Fund.
Source: t.me/finregkzPerceived inflation in Uzbekistan falls to record-low 10.1%
According to the August survey by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the average estimate of price growth over the past 12 months stood at **10.1%** — down 0.2 percentage points from June and an all-time low.
Source: spot.uzKapitalbank opens correspondent account with BNY
Uzbekistan's Kapitalbank has opened a US dollar correspondent account with The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY), one of the world's largest financial institutions.
Source: t.me/kapital24Loans to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Up 12% Since Start of Year
As of August 1, 2026, the volume of loans issued by Kazakhstani banks to small and medium-sized businesses reached **12.4 trillion tenge**, rising by 12% since the start of the year.
Source: ranking.kzUzbekistan mortgage lending rises by 4.9 trillion UZS in eight months
Banks in Uzbekistan issued 18.3 trillion UZS in mortgage loans in January–August 2026, up 4.9 trillion UZS from the same period in 2025.
Source: podrobno.uzIpak Yuli Bank launches Visa Kids card for children aged 7 to 16
Uzbekistan's Ipak Yuli Bank has begun issuing the Visa Kids card, which can be linked to a parent's UZS-denominated Visa card to track spending via the bank's app.
Source: spot.uzSeptember 21
CustodianOne and AUSU Announce Strategic Partnership in Digital Assets
Crypto custodian CustodianOne and licensed platform AUSU.KZ have launched a joint project for digital asset custody and management in Kazakhstan.
Source: profit.kzKyrgyzstan's MBank offers MRassrochka installment plans up to 24 months for purchases up to 200,000 soms
Kyrgyz digital bank MBank is offering the MRassrochka installment plan: customers can spread payments for purchases worth up to **200,000 soms** over up to 24 months with an extra fee.
Source: mbank.kgCentral Bank of Uzbekistan holds policy rate at 14%
On September 16, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan kept its main policy rate at **14% per annum**, as inflation slowed to 6.2% in August while upward price pressures persisted.
Source: t.me/centralbankuzbekistanGLOBEMARKETS Authorized to Operate as Investment Consultant in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan's National Agency for Perspective Projects has issued GLOBEMARKETS LLC confirmation to conduct professional investment consulting activities in the securities market.
Source: t.me/napp_uzNational Bank of Kyrgyzstan publishes financial literacy study
In August, the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan published a study on the financial literacy levels of the country's adult population in 2025.
Source: t.me/NBKR_newsInflation expectations among Uzbekistan's population fall to 9.8%
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan recorded a new low in inflation expectations among households and businesses following its August survey.
Source: spot.uzNational Bank of Kyrgyzstan Fines Three Individuals and Four Exchange Offices in Bishkek
The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has fined three individuals and four currency exchange offices in Bishkek for conducting unlicensed cash foreign exchange transactions and violating regulatory requirements.
Source: t.me/NBKR_newsKazakhstan banks' profit drops by 254 billion tenge in eight months
According to kz.kursiv.media, net profit of Kazakhstan's second-tier banks reached **1.61 trillion tenge** in January–August 2026, down 13.6% compared to the same period in 2025.
Source: kz.kursiv.mediaSeptember 19
Karakalpakstan Businesses to Secure 300 Billion UZS in Loans at 12%
Trusted clients of the bank assigned to the region will have access to a **300 billion UZS** credit line at a nominal 16% annual rate, with interest subsidies reducing the effective rate to 12%.
Source: spot.uz935,000 Kazakhstanis receive social payments automatically via the Digital Family Card
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Labor and Social Protection is scaling proactive public services through the "Digital Family Card" platform, which analyzes data on more than 20 million members of 6.2 million families.
Source: profit.kzSeptember 18
Uzbek banks issue 18.3 trillion UZS in mortgages over eight months
In January–August 2026, Uzbekistan's commercial banks issued mortgage loans worth 18.3 trillion UZS to 59.2 thousand citizens for home purchases — up 4.9 trillion UZS compared to the same period last year.
Source: t.me/centralbankuzbekistanNational Bank of Kyrgyzstan revokes registration of Interpay operator
On September 16, the Supervision Committee of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic revoked the registration of Interpay LLC as the operator of the Interpay international electronic money system.
Source: t.me/NBKR_newsKASE approves amendments to participant coding instructions
The Kazakhstan Stock Exchange enacted amendments on September 16 to its instructions on assigning codes to exchange members, trading system users, and securities issuers.
Source: kase.kzMost National Fund for Children payouts directed to housing savings
According to kapital.kz, citing the Unified Cumulative Pension Fund, 117,712 Kazakhstanis received $30.51 million from the National Fund for Children program to top up housing savings deposits.
Source: kapital.kzAIFC and Busan International Financial Center sign cooperation memorandum
The Astana International Financial Centre and the Busan financial center signed a memorandum of understanding on September 16 during the Kazakh president's visit to South Korea.
Source: aifc.kzKazakhstan's retail microloan portfolio shrinks for first time this year
The retail microloan portfolio held by Kazakh MFIs shrank by 9.81 billion tenge to 1.323 trillion tenge in July 2026, marking its first drop since the start of the year.
Source: kz.kursiv.mediaUzbekistan Approves Regulations for Rating Securities Issuers
Uzbekistan's National Agency for Investment Promotion has approved regulations for maintaining a rating of securities issuers based on disclosures and regulatory compliance.
Source: t.me/napp_uzKyrgyzstan's MBank suspends QR payments in Turkey
Kyrgyz bank MBank announced the suspension of its QR payment service in Turkey starting September 17.
Source: mbank.kgSeptember 17
Uzbekistan counts 75.6m bank cards in circulation
According to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, as of August 1, 2026, the country had over 75.6 million bank cards, 453,000 payment terminals, and more than 47,000 ATMs and self-service kiosks in circulation.
Source: spot.uzUzNIF expands net assets by 6.1% in first half of 2026
The Uzbekistan National Investment Fund (UzNIF) published its results for the first half of 2026: net asset value (NAV) reached 31.67 trillion UZS, or $2.63 billion, up 6.1% from the end of 2025.
Source: t.me/uzseofficialState Assets Management Agency receives $145m from sale of Humo and SamAuto
Uzbekistan's State Assets Management Agency has fully transferred proceeds from the privatization of the Humo payment system ($65m) and the SamAuto car plant ($80m) to the state budget.
Source: spot.uzKazakhstan Life Insurers' Profit Drops 15% in First Half of 2026
According to ranking.kz, the net profit of Kazakhstan's life insurance companies fell 15.3% in the first half of 2026 to 74.5 billion KZT compared to 88 billion KZT a year earlier, while regulatory profit tumbled 4.2 times to 10.7 billion KZT.
Source: ranking.kz