Kazakhstan to adopt digital tenge for state procurement from August
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The Kazakh government plans to introduce the digital tenge into the state procurement system starting in August 2026, with full technical integration with the Finance Ministry's information systems to be completed by then. The move is part of a broader effort to scale the digital currency to over 100 projects by year-end, following 20 pilot projects already implemented.
Pilot Results and Scale
As of July 2026, 340 billion digital tenge have been issued, with 20 pilot projects completed, 10 ongoing, and 50 in preparation. The pilots cover infrastructure construction, budget lending, subsidies, grants, state procurement, tax administration, and purchases by the National Bank and quasi-public entities. Mandatory use of the digital tenge applies to eight budget expenditure items for projects exceeding 100 million tenge.
Legal and Technical Hurdles
A key barrier is ensuring end-to-end traceability of budget funds from general contractors to final executors, as subcontractors often lack readiness to sign smart contracts due to absent legal requirements. The Finance Ministry has prepared amendments to relevant legal acts to create the necessary mechanisms. The meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin addressed these issues.
August Procurement Rollout
From August, the digital tenge will be used for state procurement of goods, medicines, fuels, and other material supplies. The government expects full integration with Finance Ministry systems to be completed by then, enabling a complete transition to digital tenge in public procurement.
What's Next
The government aims to scale the digital tenge to over 100 projects by end-2026, with the August procurement launch as a key milestone. It remains unclear whether the legal amendments will be enacted in time to resolve subcontractor readiness issues.
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Kazakhstan to adopt digital tenge for state procurement from August
