Kazakhstan plans to restrict access to six unlicensed crypto platforms after legal action by the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA).
On September 15, the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) court upheld AFSA’s claims against the operators of BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX.
Crypto licensing crackdown
The order prohibits these platforms from providing, offering or promoting digital asset services within the AIFC without the required license. It also covers the distribution of mobile applications used to offer these services. LBank was initially included in the ruling, but the court withdrew it on September 18 after its operator independently blocked access to its services in Kazakhstan.
The decision also implied Google and Apple, which operate the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Both companies are subject to the court order regarding geographic restrictions on access to the cited platforms.
AFSA said the legal action comes after months of efforts to combat crypto services operating without permission. The regulator started issuing written warnings to more than 20 platforms in 2025 and explained the rules of the AIFC regulatory framework. In early 2026, she filed a complaint against platforms that continued to operate without a license.
According to AFSA, nine crypto platforms have voluntarily restricted access to their apps in the country through the two app stores. The regulator then withdrew its claims against these operators. Seven other platforms said they intend to apply for an AFSA license to operate digital asset trading facilities. The remaining six are now subject to court-ordered restrictions.
Crypto market in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan introduced a framework for digital assets in May, which covers stablecoins, real-world token assets and digital versions of traditional financial instruments. The rules also set requirements for exchanges and other service providers. Two months later, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree aimed at further developing the industry. The plans include regulated stablecoins for certain cross-border payments, tokenized securities as well as incentives to introduce digital assets on local regulated platforms.
Most recently, Tether began exploring a stablecoin pegged to the Kazakh tenge in a deal with the National Bank of Kazakhstan and Alatau city authorities. As reported CryptoPotato Earlier this month, the parties will study issuance models and prepare a pilot proposal. No issuer, blockchain or launch date has been announced.
At the same time, the Government of Kazakhstan approved a plan of 65 measures including up to $60 million of tokenized Alatau projects by the end of 2026.
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