Kazakhstan launches CryptoCity pilot zone
Kazakhstan unveils ‘CryptoCity’ pilot zone for real-world crypto payments
Kazakhstan is planning to launch a “CryptoCity,” a regulatory pilot zone allowing cryptocurrency payments for goods and services, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on May 29.
Speaking at the Astana International Forum 2025, Tokayev said the initiative will test digital asset use in a controlled sandbox environment, reports Cointelegraph.
“We are planning to create a pioneering pilot zone called CryptoCity where cryptocurrencies might be used for purchasing goods, services, and even beyond,” he stated. The move reflects Kazakhstan’s broader ambitions to embrace digital finance innovation. It follows several crypto-related developments, including a pilot CBDC project launched in 2024.
Alatau emerges as top candidate for CryptoCity site
Digital Development Minister Zhaslan Madiyev indicated the government is leaning toward Alatau as the future location for CryptoCity. Founded in 1957 as a scientific hub, Alatau houses major research institutions, including a nuclear reactor and an experimental cyclotron.
The city also features the Innovation Technology Park, a special economic zone geared toward tech advancement. Madiyev said the goal is for crypto to be widely accepted in the city — from real estate to restaurants. Officials see CryptoCity as a natural extension of Alatau’s role as a scientific and technological center.
Kazakhstan eyes crypto-led innovation and economic growth
With CryptoCity, Kazakhstan hopes to position itself as a regional crypto hub and attract global blockchain talent. Madiyev said the project aims to draw developers, investors, and IT professionals, helping stimulate the domestic economy. The zone would offer crypto-friendly legislation and recognize digital assets as legal payment methods.
Officials emphasize that the success of the project hinges on aligning regulatory frameworks with its innovative goals. “CryptoCity implies free circulation of cryptocurrency, crypto-friendly legislation and crypto as a legitimate means of payment,” Madiyev noted, calling it a “major breakthrough for the blockchain industry.”
Recently we wrote that Kazakhstan has the potential to become Central Asia’s premier crypto hub if it lifts current restrictions on digital asset trading and expands blockchain-friendly policies, according to Kanysh Tuleushin, the country’s first vice minister of digital development.
