Key IT Trends in Kazakhstan 2025

Ekaterina Liasko

CEO at Global CIO

The Global CIO editorial team is continuing its series of articles focusing on the IT industry across various countries. In this edition, we explore Kazakhstan, one of the promising economies of Central Asia. We interviewed local partners to discuss the sector's growth, challenges, opportunities, and key factors for success.

Roman Yashin, Regional Director for Central Asia at Softline Group, will share his insights about the region and provide more details about the IT sector in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

What are the three most important facts about the country to know?

Large territory and resources. The Republic of Kazakhstan is a country in the center of Eurasia, most of which is in Asia. It ranks 9th in the world by territory, 2nd among the CIS countries. Unlike many developed countries where the population is aging, the median age in Kazakhstan is 30 years and continues to decline. This creates the foundation for future economic growth, since the growing working-age population will actively participate in productive work and consumption. Kazakhstan has great territorial potential, significant land resources and mineral wealth, rich in oil, gas and metals, which is also an important driver of the economy. In the future, due to the expected growth in demand for oil until 2030, Kazakhstan can use these resources to diversify its economy and create added value. Digitalization and innovation are also already developing in certain sectors, which opens up opportunities for growth.

Close relations with Russia. Geographical proximity, common border with Russia, similarity of business conditions and legislation, predominance of Russian-speaking population, Russia is one of the key trading partners (2nd place in trade turnover after China), cooperation within the CIS, EAEU. Since January 1, 2025, Kazakhstan has officially acquired the status of a BRICS partner state. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) finance large infrastructure, financial, corporate and agricultural projects in the country.

Developed startup ecosystem and focus on IT exports. Kazakhstan accounts for up to 20% of all global venture capital in Central Asia.

The country has created a tech ecosystem that generates $1 billion and even $10 billion startups at a rate comparable to leading global tech ecosystems, including the US and China. It is important to develop sectors in which Kazakhstan can compete globally, such as the IT sector. Talented specialists are a key competitive advantage here. However, in order to create startups and products, access to capital is necessary, which remains a challenge faced by local entrepreneurs. Many of them are looking for funding abroad, which can serve as an example for others and lead to successful startups that can become global leaders in the future.

What is the volume and development forecast of the IT market for the next 5 years?

Leading ICT market segments in Kazakhstan: digital technologies to be used for developing e-government services, smart transportation, city infrastructure, and financial sector applications; process automatization technologies for oil and gas, mining, and agriculture industries; upgrade and extension of existing fixed and mobile networks; content-rich mobile value-added services; 5G mobile communications technologies; mobile number portability (MNP) technologies; IoT equipment and technologies; satellite telecommunications technologies.

Export of IT services. According to the statistics of foreign trade in services for 2024 published by the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, exports under the item "computer services" amounted to $529 million. Sales of computer services abroad increased by 57% last year. The main export markets are the USA, Russia, the UAE, and Cyprus. For the first time, the volume of IT exports in Kazakhstan exceeded the import of computer services into the country.

By 2029, the center plans to ensure the export of domestic AI solutions worth up to $5 billion.

What national strategic and digital initiatives have been adopted in the country?

Digital economy. The introduction of digital technologies and AI, according to experts, will ensure the annual growth of Kazakhstan's GDP by 2-3%. In February 2025, it became known that the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan completed the implementation of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) project. NSDI allows downloading cartographic materials, creating opportunities for Kazakhstani startups, cartographic and IT companies to develop and offer their services to businesses and citizens similar to Google maps, Yandex taxi, etc. The NSDI online cartographic service allows downloading cartographic materials, thereby creating conditions for Kazakhstani startups, cartographic and IT companies to develop and offer their services to businesses and citizens similar to Google maps, Yandex taxi, 2GIS directory, etc.

Startup ecosystem. Kazakhstan accounts for up to 20% of all global venture capital in Central Asia. The country has created a technology ecosystem that generates $1 billion and even $10 billion worth of startups at a rate comparable to the world's leading technology ecosystems, including the US and China. In 2024, Kazakhstan took first place in the region and strengthened its position on the global stage, entering the top 75 startup ecosystems worldwide. Astana Hub has become an innovative cluster and a key partner for many startups. Technopark participants are provided with tax and visa preferences, information and educational support, and business development programs. There are 20 regional IT hubs in Kazakhstan, so Astana Hub initiatives are available to IT companies in the regions. In addition, Kazakhstan is creating an international network of IT hubs. IT hubs have been opened in the USA, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and recently in the UK. Kazakhstani startups have foreign infrastructure to attract investment and enter exports.

AI technologies. In June 2024, the Government of Kazakhstan adopted the "AI Development Concept" for the period 2024-2029. The Ministry has set the following goals by 2029: training 5 million people in AI skills; training 500 thousand industry specialists; creation of 5 Kazakhstani unicorns (companies with a market value of over $1 billion); increase in IT exports to $5 billion; at least 25 implemented AI products in economic sectors annually. In April 2024, the AI and Innovation Development Committee was created at the MCRIAP RK. One of the main tasks of the committee is to develop regulatory and by-laws in the field of AI.

In January 2025, the UAE and Kazakhstan decided to launch regulatory laboratories to formulate optimal standards for regulating AI technologies.

Digital ID system. In order to ensure a transparent mechanism for collecting, processing and storing personal data, it is planned to create a centralized national remote identification system for all industries on the basis of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The national system will be built using Digital ID, which will ensure a centralized, clear and transparent mechanism for collecting, processing and storing personal data. In order to prevent illegal facts of transferring the biometric database of citizens, the issue of ensuring the information security of biometric (personal) data is being worked out with authorized government agencies (National Security Committee, State Security Service, etc.). To avoid fraudulent actions in biometric identification based on the face, Liveness detection technology is used, which can process user requests in passive and active modes.

GovTech. In January 2025, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan instructed the Government to begin implementing AI tools in government agencies and national companies. The development of AI in the country should be accelerated. By the end of 2025, its elements should be integrated into the e-government system. Particular attention should be paid to the widespread use of this technology in Smart City projects.

By the end of 2025, Kazakhstan plans to launch over 50 intelligent virtual assistants that will operate on the basis of AI to simplify citizens' access to public services. It is expected that virtual assistants will be able to process user requests in real time, providing prompt and accurate information.

AgTech. In February 2025, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan prepared an order amending the priority areas for the provision of innovation grants. In particular, the agro-industrial complex and AI-based technologies were added to the list. Kazakhstan plans to use AI solutions to automate agriculture. Key projects include: an AI-powered chatbot to check subsidy applications; an intelligent soil analysis system; AI-powered drones to combat pests; geoanalytics; autonomous robots, and drones. The Prime Minister instructed to more actively use AI to accurately forecast climate risks, crop yields and market prices for food products. In addition, the agricultural sector needs to implement AI solutions to optimize: irrigation and fertilizer use; plant protection. The implementation of key projects is scheduled for 2025-2026.

What local infrastructure features influence the choice of technologies and solutions in your country?

Telecommunication infrastructure. In the Network Readiness Index 2024, Kazakhstan ranks 61th with an overall score of 50.52. The Ministry of Digital Development is implementing several initiatives to improve the country's telecommunications. One of them is the national project "Affordable Internet". The national project envisages providing settlements and highways with broadband Internet, developing wired and wireless communications infrastructure, increasing transit potential and creating a regional data hub. Fiber-optic communication lines will be laid to 3,010 villages, the "last mile" will be built in 1,120 villages, 487 AMS will be built along highways and public access points will be installed in 504 rural settlements using satellite technology. Currently, many different technologies are used in the country. In January 2025, it became known that within the framework of a pilot project using fixed wireless access (FWA) technology, more than 100 villages in Kazakhstan will receive access to high-speed Internet. With the launch of FWA, the data transfer speed increased to 200-300 Mbps, ensuring a stable connection even with an increase in the number of users.

In 2025, it is planned to expand the project to more than 100 villages, providing Internet access to 10,000 rural residents.

Cloud infrastructure. In May 2024, it became known that an agreement on the construction of data centers was concluded between Kazakhstan and the UAE. The creation and development of data centers is crucial for the technological development of Kazakhstan. The goal of the cooperation is to create a basis for investment in data center projects that will be implemented in Kazakhstan. In October 2024, the Yereymentau data center of Kazteleport (a subsidiary of Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan JSC) was commissioned in Kazakhstan. The site will be used, among other things, for further digitalization of the state and development of IT projects of customers. In February 2025, Kazakhtelecom announced that it would focus on digitalization, giving priority to cloud technologies, data centers, and AI infrastructure. Kazakhtelecom described all upcoming changes as a “strategic transformation.” As part of its strategy, Kazakhtelecom plans to build a modular data center with an initial capacity of 5-10 MW, scalable to 100 MW.

What is the situation with local software developers? What business applications are in demand among customers?

AI technologies. In January 2025, it became known that the Institute of Intelligent Systems and AI at Nazarbayev University (NU ISSAI) launched the Oylan AI model in pilot mode. This is a multifunctional AI model that can simultaneously work with images and texts in Kazakh, English and Russian. To train the model, the largest dataset in the history of Kazakhstan was created, including more than 10 million images and 50 million question-answer pairs. The dataset covers a wide range of areas, such as image captions, visual questions and answers, optical character recognition, document analysis, understanding diagrams, graphs and tables, solving problems in various fields such as mathematics, geometry, physics, etc. The platform implements voice interaction, which makes working with the model more intuitive. In addition, developers can access the Oylan API to integrate the model into their solutions and projects.

One of the promising Kazakhstani startups is call2action.ai. The project uses AI to optimize the recruiting process.

HRTech. The system fully automates two stages of interviews: AI independently calls candidates and then conducts a video interview, analyzing the answers and assigning each candidate a score on a 10-point scale. Employers receive a list of the best candidates selected by the system, which significantly reduces the time and resources for recruiting.

Biometric technologies. The Alaqan biometric system is a biometric verification using a palm print. The project is aimed at improving the safety of children in schools and kindergartens, controlling employee access to government agencies and preventing the misuse of budget funds. To date, more than 124 thousand schoolchildren and about 10 thousand school employees are registered in the system. So far, the project covers 91 schools in the Akmola region and 68 schools in the Aktobe region. In pilot mode, it has also been implemented in some schools in the West Kazakhstan, Turkestan and Karaganda regions. In the next 2 years, it is planned to install the system in 150 schools in the Karaganda region. Kazakhstan intends to export the Alaqan biometric system to six countries – Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Kuwait, etc.

Smart field for Oil and Gas industry. In 2024, IDS (Intelligent Digital Solutions) completed its first and flagship Smart Field project – it created an “intelligent field” for Caspian Oil. A single information system for making effective decisions, where all information on the field is structured in four planes: real-time monitoring and management; production data for a working day or week in the plan/fact section; well operation scenarios for the coming months; assessment of the field development over the next few years. Moreover, the system covers not only all the information on the well – how much it produces, pressure, temperature, oil viscosity, etc. – but also on procurement, personnel, transport, budgeting. All back-office business processes are managed through a single platform.

What cybersecurity and data protection regulations affect IT companies in your country?

Data safety. In Kazakhstan, the number of companies that are classified as critically important objects of information and communication infrastructure (CIOCI) is growing every year. Over the past four years, the number of information and communication infrastructure companies from the CIOCI category has grown from 385 to 514. According to the law, they are strictly required to store data on the territory of the country. Due to information security requirements, it is not always possible to use public clouds in such companies. Therefore, one of the promising ways to work with data safely for them is private clouds.

Trusted software. In March 2024, it became known that Kazakhstan had imposed a restriction on the public procurement of foreign software. According to the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated March 20, 2024 No. 207, the country is introducing a restriction on the public procurement of software produced by foreign companies. From May 20, 2024, foreign digital products are excluded from the register of trusted software. However, if such software is not produced in Kazakhstan, then it is allowed to be purchased. The restriction is introduced for a period of 2 years.

Internet fraud protection. Every year, over 20,000 cases of Internet fraud are registered in Kazakhstan, of which about 80% remain unsolved. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in 2024, Kazakhstanis lost 45 billion tenge due to online fraud, and in 98% of cases, they voluntarily transferred their data to fraudsters. In January 2025, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan instructed the government, together with law enforcement agencies and financial regulators, to ensure maximum protection of citizens' personal data. For the safe and effective development of AI, it is necessary to introduce clear regulatory principles, including control over data processing, protection from manipulation and minimization of the negative impact on energy resources. It is also important to ensure the fairness of algorithms, exclude discriminatory mechanisms and develop reliable AI verification systems before mass implementation.

Illegal transactions with cryptocurrency prevention. In September 2024, the Financial Monitoring Agency of Kazakhstan created a special unit "Crypton" to combat offenses in the field of digital assets. The special unit will investigate cases of illegal use of cryptocurrency.

For preventive purposes, 134 Internet resources engaged in such activities have been blocked through the Cyber Supervision system.

In Kazakhstan, there has recently been an increase in court sentences for illegal transactions with cryptocurrency. Usually, persons, without obtaining a license from the Astana International Financial Center, are engaged in the exchange of cryptocurrency from citizens. Accordingly, they receive a profit for their services by exchanging digital assets.

Which sectors are the most digitalized in your country? What local specificities or challenges most often arise when adapting technologies in these sectors?

Finance. In January 2025, the National Bank of Kazakhstan published an annual report "On the Development of the National Digital Financial Infrastructure". The launch of the Interbank Payment Card System, Open API and the Anti-Fraud Center strengthened financial inclusion (accessibility), increased the level of security and strengthened the sovereignty of domestic transactions. In addition, in 2024, as part of the second phase of the Digital Tenge project, new scenarios for using digital currency in government and programmable payments were tested. The National Bank sets the following goals for 2025: implementation of a system for automatic detection of new fraud patterns within the Anti-Fraud Center; implementation of the Knowledge Base for the exchange of information between the Anti-Fraud Center participants; implementation of analytical tools for effective decision-making by the Anti-Fraud Center participants; scaling of the C2C transfer service; scaling of the QR payment service; development and implementation of a subsystem for resolving dispute situations within the Open API; development and implementation of the B2B transfer service. The main areas of infrastructure development include: ensuring secure and uninterrupted transactions, including operations with digital currency; implementation of digital services for biometric identification and consent management; secure data exchange between participants and service providers through open APIs.

E-Commerce. More than 2,000 Internet shops and B2B trade marketplaces exist in Kazakhstan’s domain. The most progressive types of e-commerce in Kazakhstan include online airline and railway tickets and online payments for mobile services and public utilities. The leaders among the e-commerce companies in Kazakhstan were AliExpress, Mechta.kz, Kaspi.kz, Wildberries and Ozon. Amazon and eBay are gaining popularity with franchises like Globbing and other delivery businesses that allow customers in Kazakhstan place orders to their U.S. warehouses.

In general, the e-commerce market demonstrates stable positive dynamics: the average annual growth rate was 58%, and for the period from 2019 to 2023, the number of transactions increased by 4.3 times, while the average check increased by 1.5 times.

GovTech. In 2024, Kazakhstan achieved significant results in the digital transformation of the public sector. As a result of the revision of more than 1,200 government processes in 23 government agencies, 468 business processes were optimized, which reduced their implementation time by an average of 45%. According to the UN E-Government Survey 2024, Kazakhstan has risen to 24th place in the global e-government ranking and entered the group of countries with a very high e-Government Development Index (EGDI). Today, more than 93% of the population has access to electronic services through the eGov portal. The introduction of biometric identification and QR signatures has simplified the process of obtaining electronic services – in a year, Kazakhstanis signed more than 23 million documents using QR codes. In 2025, it is planned to reduce the terms of 44 government services, transfer 20 government services to a proactive format, and transform 35 government services.

Utilities. In July 2024, it became known that a Unified Housing and Utilities Platform would be created in Kazakhstan. The platform is being created to collect data in an online format to form a higher-quality and balanced housing and utilities policy. Currently, there are 22 public services in the construction industry, 20 of which are digitized and provided in electronic format. This year, work began on creating a Unified Platform, which will combine data from various sources in the housing and utilities sector. These data include: receipts of the Unified Payment Document for Utility Payments, e-KSK/OSI and iKOMEK109. The platform will also allow for the centralized digitization of utilities and the work processes of the Housing Inspectorate.

AgTech. Digital technologies in agriculture are actively developing in Kazakhstan. Digitalization helps to make land use more efficient and significantly facilitates the work of farmers. For this purpose, intelligent land management systems are being introduced. Valuable information is extracted from big data. As a result, the economy is growing, and products reach the buyer from the producer faster and easier.

The Ministry of Agriculture provides 93 public services, 98% of which are provided online. In 2024, more than 2.6 million electronic services were provided.

In January 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Center for Research and Analysis of Agricultural Processing and Agrarian Policy and the Government for Citizens State Corporation, launched a project to create a system for recording agricultural machinery within the framework of the unified digital platform.

What examples of successful projects in the field of digital transformation or implementation of new technologies in your region can serve as a reference point for IT managers in other countries?

Finance. In February 2025, it became known that Halyk Bank uses AI in almost all areas: for example, KYC processes (verification of customer data authenticity), recruitment, AML control, counteracting fraud and illegal withdrawal of funds. The bank already employs about 180 RPA – "invisible" robots. RPA allowed Halyk Bank to improve the income-to-expense ratio. RPA coped with the increase in the number of requests, and at the same time increased the efficiency of their processing by optimizing routine tasks, reducing the time it takes to complete operations and reducing the number of errors. In addition to working with clients, AI helps with the bank's internal processes – for example, AI assistants are tasked with recording and processing protocol meetings. Assistants of HR managers, lawyers, and tax specialists are also used.

Government. AI is actively used by the courts of Kazakhstan. AI reviewed a third of cases and materials – 665 thousand out of 2 million. Robots significantly facilitate the work of judges. Robotization was introduced into the Digital Analytics of Judicial Practice service in 2022. Only judges make decisions; robots will not replace them, the court assures. AI analysis is used only as additional reference material. The share of conciliation procedures in civil and administrative cases is growing in Kazakhstan. The number of cases involving jurors has increased – from 147 to 261.

Telecom. Tele2/Altel are actively implementing AI and 5G-based technologies. Smart Network, which optimizes network construction based on real demand; AI personalization, which increases the value of offers for customers; B2B/B2G solutions using geoanalytics and predictive models for effective optimization of business processes, etc.

Logistics. Kazpost is working to reduce delivery times, optimize process costs, implement infrastructure projects, and provide online services to individuals and legal entities.

Kazpost has implemented integration with Chinese partners to make goods available from marketplaces such as Temu, which makes it possible to process more than 10 thousand parcels per day from just one supplier.

Kazpost services are now available to users of the eGov Mobile application. Thanks to integration with customs authorities, data on shipments is processed in real time, which speeds up the declaration process and reduces delays.

What is the situation with highly qualified IT specialists, and what steps are being taken to develop local personnel in the context of global competition?

ICT labor. There is a high demand for qualified personnel in the sector, due to competitive working conditions and growing requirements. The average salary in the industry for 2024 increased by 54% compared to the previous year and amounted to 673 thousand tenge, and the number of employees increased by 12%, reaching 187 thousand people. To train qualified personnel, the Tech Orda program was launched, which aims to train 20 thousand specialists by 2025. As part of this initiative, private IT schools are supported, which have already trained more than 16 thousand people in the field.

Digital nomad. Since January 2025, the Digital Nomad Residency pilot project has been launched to issue permits for IT specialists for permanent residence in Kazakhstan. The service recipient, that is, a foreign IT specialist, subject to the availability of an IIN and an electronic digital signature, applies on the Astanahub portal in order to obtain a petition from the industry government agency on compliance with the list of in-demand professions with the provision of consent to the collection and processing of personal data. The Digital Nomad Residency pilot project is being held in Almaty and Astana and is valid until December 2025. In February 2025, Kazakhstan launched three new visa categories designed to attract skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and remote workers: the Neo Nomad visa (B12-1); the Digital Nomad visa (B9-1); and the Permanent Residence visa (B9). Once in Kazakhstan, professionals can obtain permanent residence, which provides stability and the opportunity to integrate into the local labor market.

AI talents. The Ministry of Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan has set a high bar for itself – to train 1 million people in AI skills in 5 years. This is 500 thousand pupils, 300 thousand students, 90 thousand civil servants, 80 thousand representatives of the corporate sector and 30 thousand representatives of other spheres. There are already certain pilots in all these areas.

The Ministry of Digital Development proposes to introduce mandatory AI courses for all civil servants. The pilot project is planned to be launched in March 2025.

In January 2025, a representative of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan said that, in accordance with market demands, disciplines teaching the use of AI in professional activities are being introduced into engineering training programs. In Kazakhstan, three universities, together with foreign partners, have begun training personnel in the field of AI. In addition, pilot models of a digital university are being implemented within the framework of the concept of development of higher education and science. To train specialists in the field of AI, the AI-SANA program was launched for 100 thousand participants. The program is developed with input from international experts.

What is the situation with the competitive environment?

By the end of 2024, the number of IT companies in Kazakhstan reached 18,683, which corresponds to an increase of approximately 16% over a three-year period. The country's authorities actively support the development of IT technologies and services. About 187 thousand people work in the IT sector of the republic, which is 12% more than the figure three years ago. Today, the number of Astana Hub participants exceeds 1.5 thousand companies, 400 of which have foreign participation. Their total revenue amounted to 620 billion tenge in 2024. The export geography of Astana Hub residents covers more than 90 countries. A number of Kazakhstani projects, such as Alaqan, Codiplay, CITIX, CEREBRA, OGames, Parqour, ApartX, have proven themselves in foreign markets, including the USA, the UAE, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany and other countries.

I would like to thank Softline for providing such a thoughtful and detailed overview of IT development in Kazakhstan. It was truly interesting to learn about the country’s progress in this area from industry experts.

Global CIO is a professional IT community that unites more than 5,000 IT professionals from 110 countries. The goal of the Global CIO is to bring together IT leaders around the world to consolidate practical experience, create a unique knowledge base and communication between all professionals in the field of information technology. Community members gain access to a unified knowledge base, practical IT cases from various industries and countries, and opportunities to participate in webinars and events aimed at enhancing professional skills and personal effectiveness. The hallmark initiatives of the community include the international case competition "Project of the Year" and the "Top 100 IT Leaders" recognition program.

The Global CIO professional community includes members from Kazakhstan and some of them took part in the 'Project of the Year'. We invite you to explore their projects.

• Teez Integrated Marketplace, Customer Teez
  Customer app, supplier management, inventory, logistics and point of sale are combined in one suite of systems, separate, but working in tight concert. The most unique component is the warehousing and logistics system (WMS).
• Unified mining platform, Customer Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan
  Ensuring an effective, transparent mechanism of information interaction between government agencies and the business community of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of subsurface use of solid minerals.
• Increasing the productivity and fault tolerance of the company's infrastructure, Customer KZ Recycling Ltd
  Increasing the productivity and fault tolerance of the company's infrastructure.
• A data processing platform in TBC Uzbekistan (payme), Customer Kompanion Bank
  A project was set to develop a data platform. The solution integrates internal and external data sources and operations, and enables each department to easily access accurate, time-relevant data.
• Digital Family card, Customer National Information Technologies
  The uniqueness of the project lies in the introduction of big data analysis into the system of managerial and strategic decision-making at the state level.
• ML Marketing Platform, Customer ALTEL/TELE2
  The primary goal was to develop an advanced ML Marketing Platform capable of delivering hyper-personalized customer experiences for a base of 9 million subscribers.