ALMATY – Kazakhstan has been positioning itself as a regional leader in digital finance and artificial intelligence, as leading policymakers, regulators, and fintech innovators gathered in Almaty for the Central Asia Fintech Summit 2025 on Nov. 13–14 to discuss the innovative vision of the financial sector.
Photo credit: Central Asia Fintech Summit’s press service
The mission of the summit is to provide a collaborative platform for knowledge exchange and innovation that will drive the development of payment systems and financial technologies in Kazakhstan and beyond.
Future vision for a digital nation
National Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov emphasized the nation’s path toward a fully digital state remains a top national priority.
“Significant steps have been taken as we have achieved progress in digital public services and in the financial sector, but we cannot stand still,” he said.
According to Suleimenov, over the past five years, cashless transactions among the population have increased more than tenfold, with 90% of all payments now processed online.
“Around 90% of the total payment turnover goes through the National Payment Corporation’s infrastructure,” he said, underscoring that the volume of transactions surpassed one quadrillion tenge (US$1.85 trillion) between January and September.
Suleimenov also highlighted the rapid integration of digital identification in financial services.
“Our biometric identification service processes nearly four million requests each month, providing the speed, convenience, and security that both citizens and financial institutions need,” he said.
AI, digital assets and regulation
The national bank has launched a five-year digitalization strategy with the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market to align all regulatory initiatives.
“We aim to create an innovation environment, acting as both an enabler and a navigator for the market,” Suleimenov said.
Among the key developments, he announced the upcoming launch of a sovereign crypto reserve managed by the National Investment Corporation, as well as the creation of a custodial infrastructure for digital assets based on the Central Securities Depository.
“This will ensure Kazakhstan’s sovereignty over the digital assets created and owned by our citizens, companies, and the state,” he said.
Fintech in the era of AI
Moderating the session titled The Financial Market in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, CEO and co-founder of Digital Business Vitali Valianiuk said the discussion aimed to bridge perspectives among regulators, development institutions, and commercial players.
“No one in the world yet has a final vision of how AI will reshape the financial system. But today we hope to articulate an intermediate vision, identifying achievements, barriers, and risks, as well as the outcomes we expect from AI integration,” he said.
Changing Kazakhstan’s finance
Madina Abylkassymova, the chair of the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market, noted the local financial sector is at the forefront of technological innovation.
“According to the national bank survey, 75% of banks in Kazakhstan already use artificial intelligence in areas such as credit scoring, anti-fraud systems, and marketing,” she said.
Abylkassymova also said that the agency is preparing a strategic document on AI in the financial sector, which will draw on international best practices and the forthcoming national law on artificial intelligence.
“Each financial organization currently experiments with AI tools independently. We need a common framework with shared standards, reliable data, and clear principles for ethical and transparent AI use,” she said.
Toward a smarter, safer financial future
As the Central Asia Fintech Summit continued, participants explored practical solutions to balance innovation with regulation, advance financial inclusion, and manage the risks of digital transformation.
The discussions underscored Kazakhstan’s growing role as a regional hub for fintech and AI-driven financial innovation, with leaders reaffirming their shared goal to build a smarter, safer, and more inclusive financial system for the future.
