According to kapital.kz, former deputy governor of the National Bank Yeszhan Birtanov has been appointed a director of Tansar Islamic Bank Ltd, a new Islamic bank registered on October 16, 2026, at the Astana International Financial Centre.
The bank’s charter capital stands at $12 million. Rustem Baimakhanov serves as CEO. Along with Birtanov, the board of directors includes Yerzhan Agibayev and Aidos Mussatayev, both holding positions at the investment firm Tansar Capital. Birtanov himself chairs the board of directors at Tansar Capital, an investment company within the same group.
Tansar Islamic Bank will provide Sharia-compliant financing, manage client funds, process payments, transfers, and foreign exchange, as well as handle restricted investment accounts with profit-sharing. The bank was established by Tansar Group JSC.
Two Islamic banks currently operate in Kazakhstan: ADCB Islamic Bank and Zaman Bank. Since March 2026, conventional banks have been permitted to launch “Islamic windows” to offer Sharia-compliant services through dedicated units.