ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Halyk Bank and international innovation platform Plug and Play have announced plans to establish a joint artificial intelligence (AI) competence center in Almaty to develop digital services, strengthen cybersecurity and introduce technologies from the global startup ecosystem.
The partnership is expected to create opportunities for Kazakh startups to connect with international technology markets. Photo credit: Halyk Bank.
The center will draw on Plug and Play’s international network of more than 100,000 startups to identify promising technologies, test their applications and integrate selected solutions into Halyk’s existing services, the bank’s press service reported.
The partnership is also expected to create opportunities for Kazakh startups to connect with international technology markets, with Halyk serving as a link between domestic developers and Plug and Play’s global ecosystem.
Focus on practical applications
Murat Koshenov. Photo credit: Halyk Bank.
Halyk is looking to apply AI and other emerging technologies across its retail and business services. The bank serves nearly 11.5 million retail customers, while more than 340,000 business representatives use its Onlinebank application each month.
“The partnership with Plug and Play opens up even more opportunities to introduce new services into our applications, both for retail customers and businesses,” said Murat Koshenov, deputy chairman of Halyk’s management board, adding that the bank would explore solutions in lending, cybersecurity, fraud prevention and risk management.
Roman Mashchyk, deputy chairman of the bank’s management board, said the selection process would prioritize technologies that address specific business and customer needs, can integrate into the bank’s platforms, and offer measurable economic benefits.
“Our approach to selecting startups is very pragmatic. First, we assess the needs of the bank and our customers,” Mashchyk said, adding that the bank would select solutions best suited to those requirements.
From technology development to implementation
Alfredo Gomez Soria, Plug and Play’s regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the partnership aims to turn AI opportunities into practical applications. The teams will identify promising startups internationally and test their solutions in real-world conditions.
Alfredo Gomez Soria, Plug and Play’s regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Photo credit: Halyk Bank.
“We are combining Halyk’s knowledge of the local market and infrastructure with Plug and Play’s international expertise,” Gomez Soria said. “Our task is not simply to talk about artificial intelligence, but to turn technologies into concrete products, more convenient services and more efficient processes.”
Data protection will remain a key consideration. According to Mashchyk, using international technology solutions will not involve transferring customers’ personal data across borders. The bank will integrate new technologies into its infrastructure in compliance with Kazakhstan’s legislation.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the United States Consulate and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding a bilateral dimension to the technology collaboration. Halyk and Plug and Play began their cooperation in May 2026, when they signed a memorandum of understanding. Establishing the competence center in Almaty marks the next stage of their partnership.
