National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov said at Astana Finance Day 2026 that the digital tenge will not be used for retail payments, but rather to program and track government spending.
Suleimenov explained that banks already provide convenient retail payment solutions, including innovative methods like palm payments, leaving no need for a digital currency in this segment. According to him, the digital tenge will make it possible to program government expenditures and ensure they align with approved projects, from building kindergartens to large industrial complexes. Suleimenov noted that the pilot project is fully legalized and that an ambitious development roadmap is in place together with the Government of Kazakhstan.
