Kazakhstan’s Crypto Bet: Central Bank To Begin $350M Digital Assets Investment In Q2

Kazakhstan’s central bank will soon begin investing up to $350 million from its gold and foreign exchange reserves into cryptocurrency assets and related companies, as part of its broader digital assets strategy.

Central Bank Prepares For $350M Investment Into Crypto-Related Assets

On Friday, Reuters reported that the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) has formed a portfolio of up to $350 million ​from its gold and foreign exchange reserves ‌for investment in digital assets.

As of February 1, Kazakhstan’s central bank held $69.40 billion in gold and foreign exchange reserves, while the assets of the national fund amounted to $65.23 billion, the news media outlet noted.

At a briefing on interest ​rates, the central bank governor, Timur Suleimanov, affirmed that the financial authority is developing a list of instruments to invest in, which will include crypto-related companies.

“These include shares of high-tech ​companies related to cryptocurrencies and digital financial assets, index funds and other instruments that exhibit similar ​dynamics to crypto assets,” Suleimanov explained.

Meanwhile, Central ​Bank Deputy Chair Aliya Moldabekova shared that the investments will begin between April and May. She added that there are no plans to make any large investments directly in digital assets, but in companies that deal with them.

“We are not talking about any large investment in cryptocurrencies. We are currently selecting companies that deal with digital ​assets. For ​example, those ⁠involved in cryptocurrency infrastructure. We are currently in the process ​of selecting such companies,” Moldabekova ​said.

The central bank’s initiative follows Kazakhstan’s plan to establish a national digital asset reserve fund valued between $500 million and $1 billion, primarily comprised of assets seized and repatriated from abroad.

Suleimenov announced the plans last year, emphasizing that the fund would prioritize investments in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and shares of companies operating within the sector. He stressed that the investment strategy would be cautious, avoiding direct exposure to digital assets.

Kazakhstan Eyes Regulated Landscape

Kazakhstan’s introduction of regulations for digital financial assets could pave the way for a new financial market sector, including tokenized assets and digital assets-fiat payment channels, the central bank governor has stated.

According to local reports, Suleimenov proposed on Friday a licensing system for crypto exchanges rather than strict bans, requiring compliance with anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CTF), tax, and payment regulations to boost the fintech sector and the country’s economy.

We all know that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are quite actively used in our country, but outside the legal framework. But why fight this with the help of the Criminal Code? It is better to force crypto exchanges to obtain licenses, regulate them, require compliance with AML/CTF regulations, banking legislation, payment legislation, and tax legislation — and let them engage in this activity and do so within the legal framework.

Suleimenov informed that two banks have already begun issuing crypto-fiat cards that enable purchases using stablecoin accounts. During the payment process, the funds are automatically converted into the country’s national currency, the tenge. Additionally, the head of the National Bank mentioned that two more banks are in the process of launching similar products.

“That is, there are quite a few such projects. And I hope that we will gradually begin to transfer them from the ‘sandbox’ mode to the generally established mode as regulations appear. And we will see this as consumers every day,” he added.

The government has reportedly also been exploring the establishment of licensed crypto banks and a national exchange to foster a regulated environment for digital asset trading in Kazakhstan.