Kazakh financial regulators, particularly the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), have announced the launch of a new project allowing members of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to pay regulatory fees in stablecoins.
Launch of New Project
The launch of the project took place during the Astana Finance Days 2025 event, where AFSA signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding (MMoU) with the centralized crypto exchange Bybit. AFSA CEO Evgeniya Bogdanova emphasized that this initiative represents a first-of-its-kind regulatory framework for payments in stablecoins in the region.
Benefits of Stablecoins
Currently, companies primarily pay regulatory fees through traditional methods such as bank transfers, which can be slow and costly. A Bybit spokesperson noted that using stablecoins like Tether USDt and USDC provides a faster, cost-efficient, and transparent payment option.
Participation Criteria
Participation in the project requires signing an MMoU and meeting eligibility criteria set by AFSA. Bybit became the first signatory of this memorandum, which was signed during Astana Finance Days 2025.
The acceptance of stablecoins for regulatory fee payments signals Kazakhstan's ambition to become a central player in digital finance, developing alternative payment methods and a more flexible financial infrastructure.
