Kazakhstan's new legislation comes into effect: digital assets officially enter regulation, and crypto exchanges obtain approval from the central bank

RumbleValidator · 2026-01-17T01:58:10+00:00

The President of Kazakhstan has signed the "Banking and Banking Activities Law" and the "Financial Market Regulation and Development Amendments," bringing digital financial assets (DFA) under regulation. These are categorized into stablecoins, physical asset tokens, and electronic financial instruments. The central bank will issue licenses and establish a list of cryptocurrencies to protect investors and combat illegal activities, marking the market's transition from disorder to order.

RumbleValidator

2026-01-17 01:58:10

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【ChainNews】Kazakhstan has recently taken new actions. The president signed two important bills—the “Banking and Banking Activities Law” and the “Financial Market Regulation and Development Amendment.” This reform directly incorporates digital financial assets (DFA) into the national regulatory framework, effectively opening the door for the crypto industry.

How are the new laws classified? DFA is divided into three categories: stablecoins, tokens backed by physical assets, and electronic financial instruments. Not only stablecoins, but also unsecured digital assets like Bitcoin are officially brought under regulation.

The key point is that the central bank will issue licenses to crypto exchanges and then create a list of permitted cryptocurrencies for circulation. It sounds a bit strict, but this is a sign of market normalization. The central bank will also set some restrictions on trading activities, mainly to protect investors and combat illegal activities like money laundering. Overall, this marks a transition from “wild growth” to “orderly development.”

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SybilSlayer

· 5h ago

Kazakhstan's recent move isn't bad; finally, a country has realized that it's better to loosen than to block. The central bank issuing licenses to regulate the crypto industry is basically about wanting tax revenue and control—something we've seen many times before. It still feels far from mainstream regulation; let's wait and see how they implement restrictions later. How many cryptocurrencies will be included in the regulatory list? Mainstream coins probably depend on their reputation. If this reform can really be implemented, will other countries follow suit?

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SudoRm-RfWallet/

· 5h ago

Is Kazakhstan serious? Finally, a country willing to properly regulate cryptocurrencies. Issuing licenses by the central bank feels much more reliable than the gray area. With both whitelist and restrictions, it sounds quite strict... but compliance is always better than bans. This move is aimed at standardizing the crypto industry from its wild state. I wonder if it will restrict some freedoms. Both stablecoins and BTC are included, it seems they are serious. Wait, what does the circulation permission list mean? Will it only allow trading of specified coins... The compliant route must be followed, but I don't know how effective it will be. Now exchanges can finally operate openly and legitimately, although restrictions are also in place. Central Asia is considering this, will other countries follow suit later?

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MissedTheBoat

· 6h ago

Kazakhstan's recent moves are quite good; finally, a country dares to embrace crypto head-on. The central bank's licensing system sounds strict, but in fact, this is the long-term beneficial approach. Wait, will this list only include stablecoins, excluding BTC? Finally, someone has clearly written the rules, much smarter than those countries that hide behind masks. Another new regulatory framework is emerging, and the trend in 2024 is really picking up. This will make life difficult for small exchanges, while large institutions will benefit more. Government recognition ≠ positive for the coin's price, don't be fooled, everyone.

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PanicSeller

· 6h ago

Kazakhstan has also started formal military forces. It seems that the next step is that the whole world will need to get licensed.

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