Kazakhstan Plans Strategic Crypto Reserve as Part of Rapid National Digitalization Agenda

In his Address titled “Kazakhstan in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” delivered to the nation, President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev unveiled a rapid digitalization and crypto‑asset agenda aimed at turning Kazakhstan into a fully digital country within three years.

Tokayev called for swift passage of a Digital Code to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), platform economics, and big data, and proposed creating a Ministry of AI and Digital Development at the deputy prime‑minister level. He directed the Government and National Bank to design a $1 billion high‑tech investment program and accelerate a banking law to boost fintech, competition, and digital asset circulation. He urged wider use of the digital tenge across state and local budgets and state holdings and recommended establishing a State Fund for Digital Assets under the National Bank’s investment arm to build a strategic crypto reserve. He also emphasized strengthening cyberdefenses, anti‑fraud measures, and biometric ID systems.