The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court has banned six cryptocurrency platforms from operating in Kazakhstan. The restrictions target BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase, and WEEX. The AFSA regulator announced the decision.
The ruling requires operators to stop providing services and advertising digital assets without an appropriate license. The court also ordered Google and Apple to restrict access to these exchanges’ mobile apps for users in Kazakhstan.
Blocking timeline
The original September 15, 2026, court ruling listed seven platforms. LBank took independent action and blocked access to its services in the country. As a result, the court amended the order on September 18 and removed the platform from the sanctions list.
Efforts to clear the market of unlicensed players began in 2025. The Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) sent written warnings to over 20 crypto platforms. In early 2026, the regulator initiated legal proceedings against those that continued operating without permission.
Nine platforms voluntarily restricted access to their apps in the App Store and Google Play, prompting AFSA to withdraw its lawsuits against them. Seven other platforms officially announced their intention to obtain an AIFC license.
Consequences for violators
The court emphasized in its ruling that unauthorized operations undermine the integrity of the regulatory framework. This creates unfair competition for licensed market participants, who bear the financial costs of complying with anti-money laundering (AML/CFT) requirements and undergoing regular supervisory inspections.
The court also ruled that the operators of the blocked platforms are jointly liable to reimburse AFSA for legal costs totaling 1,995,479.95 tenge.
Since May 2026, AFSA has been monitoring illegal activity in close cooperation with the National Bank of Kazakhstan.