USD Business Account in Kazakhstan: NBK Rules and AIFC 2026

Key takeaways

Export and import contracts above $50,000 must receive an account number from the servicing bank before either party performs, and the exporter must repatriate the proceeds to Kazakhstan.
Since 1 January 2024, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance monitors compliance with export and import currency control, and the fine for failing to repatriate is reported as 20% of the unrepatriated amount above $50,000.
A resident company must notify the authorities of an account in a foreign bank before carrying out any transaction on it, and report monthly where contract settlements run through it.
Under AIFC Rules No. 6 of 2021, AIFC participants may settle with non-residents in any currency and may open accounts in foreign banks in any currency, subject to applicable law.
From 1 May 2026, the NBK licenses and registers digital asset service providers operating outside the AIFC, and money-backed stablecoins are classed as digital financial assets.
Kazakhstan is not on Wise's list of countries where businesses can hold money, which Wise requires before it gives USD account details, and Airwallex does not list Kazakhstan as a supported registration location.

USD business account options in Kazakhstan: the short answer

A Kazakh business can hold and receive US dollars in four main ways: a foreign currency account at a Kazakh bank, an account with a bank or provider abroad, a company registered in the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), or a separate US company with its own US account. A foreign currency account at a Kazakh bank is the account the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) rules are written around, and the bank that holds it is the bank that registers and monitors the company's export and import contracts.

Kazakhstan does not stop companies from holding dollars, but it watches cross-border flows closely. Contracts above set thresholds must be registered, export proceeds must come home, accounts abroad must be notified, and since April 2026 banks must check the purpose of foreign currency purchases. The AIFC in Astana is a separate jurisdiction with English common law, its own court and its own currency rules, and it is where many investment and fintech firms place their Kazakh holding company.

Each route answers a different need. Exporters of grain, metals and oil services need an account that satisfies the repatriation rules. Importers want dollars ready for suppliers in China, Türkiye and Europe. IT firms and agencies want US clients to pay them as easily as they pay a US vendor. This guide covers the NBK rules, the AIFC, which foreign providers say they accept Kazakh businesses, the US company route, documents, the legal position of USDC and USDT, and where a Helm USD account in the company's own name fits.

The options compared

The table compares the option types. It is not a ranking: most Kazakh trading companies use a Kazakh bank account plus one other route.

Option	Account name and location	How US payers pay it	Main rules and limits
USD account at a Kazakh bank	Company's own name, authorized Kazakh bank	International wire (SWIFT) through the bank's US correspondent	Contract registration above $50,000; repatriation; bank monitoring from $10,000
Account abroad	Company's own name, foreign bank or provider	ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT, depending on the provider	Notify before the first transaction; monthly reports where contract settlements run through it
AIFC company	AIFC participant's own name, AIFC bank, Kazakh bank or foreign bank	Depends on the account	AIFC Rules on Currency Regulation; any currency with non-residents
US company with a US account	A new US company's name, US bank or fintech	ACH and Fedwire as a US business	Separate company, US tax number and filings; Kazakh rules on capital movements apply to funding it
Stablecoin wallet	Wallet address, not a bank account	USDC or USDT on a blockchain	Licensed providers only; NBK outside the AIFC, AFSA inside it

Sources: National Bank of Kazakhstan; AIFC Rules on Currency Regulation (AIFC Rules No. 6 of 2021); UpperSetup summary of 2026 currency control. As published on 29 October 2026.

ACH is the low-cost US domestic bank transfer system that US companies use for routine supplier payments. Fedwire is the Federal Reserve's same-day system for large US dollar payments. SWIFT is the international network banks use to send cross-border payments, identified by an 8 or 11 character bank code.

How to choose: an exporter of goods needs its Kazakh bank in any case, because that bank registers the contract and tracks repatriation. A service business paid by US clients gains most from US account details, because a client can then pay by ACH instead of an international wire. A group with foreign investors may justify an AIFC company. Most businesses end up with two accounts: a Kazakh bank account for regulated flows and local costs, and one USD account abroad for collections and supplier payments.

NBK currency control rules in 2026

Kazakhstan's currency rules sit in the Law on Currency Regulation and Currency Control and the NBK's rules made under it. The export and import rules in force are the Rules for Export-Import Currency Control approved by NBK Board Resolution No. 78 of 29 September 2023 and the Finance Minister's Order No. 1054 of 4 October 2023.

Contract registration and the account number

An export or import contract above $50,000, or one with no amount fixed at signing, must be registered with the authorized bank that services the company's account. Registration gives the contract an account number, which the NBK describes as the tool that lets the exporter or importer report on the contract and lets the authorities monitor repatriation. Apply before either party starts to perform; the bank registers within two business days of receiving the documents.

Repatriation

The NBK states that residents must bring back to Kazakhstan foreign currency earnings from exports, and advance payments for imports when the foreign party does not perform. The repatriation period is calculated under the Rules from the contract terms. Since 1 January 2024, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance monitors compliance.

Tighter checks from April 2026

NBK Resolution No. 29 of 31 March 2026 took effect on 19 April 2026. As summarized by Moore Kazakhstan, banks must now review transactions for currency control and report violations, a contract registration number is mandatory for certain transactions, and businesses must justify the purpose of foreign currency purchases.

Rule	Threshold or deadline
Registration of export and import contracts	Above $50,000, or no amount fixed; before performance starts
Bank processing of registration	Within 2 business days of complete documents
Bank monitoring without registration	Contracts of $10,000 to $50,000; bank reports to the NBK if monthly turnover exceeds $100,000
Capital movement contracts	Registration above $500,000
Reports where payments run through a foreign account	Monthly, by the 20th of the following month
Fine for failing to repatriate	20% of the unrepatriated amount, where it exceeds $50,000 (Administrative Code Article 251)
Monitoring authority	State Revenue Committee, since 1 January 2024

Sources: National Bank of Kazakhstan, export and import currency control; UpperSetup, currency control in Kazakhstan 2026; Moore Kazakhstan on NBK Resolution No. 29. As published on 29 October 2026. Confirm current rules with your bank.

The State Revenue Committee reported, as cited by UpperSetup, 141 participants penalized under Article 251 in the first half of 2026, with fines totaling KZT 15.3 billion. Repatriation is enforced, so plan it into every contract.

Accounts abroad and the AIFC

Accounts in foreign banks

A Kazakh company may hold an account with a bank or provider abroad, but it must notify the authorities before carrying out any transaction on it, with no minimum amount. Where settlements under a registered contract run through a foreign account, the company files monthly reports with the foreign account statements by the 20th of the following month. Authorized Kazakh banks are exempt, and individuals do not need to notify. The NBK notes that applications for an account number may be made to an NBK branch, rather than a Kazakh bank, in cases involving foreign bank accounts.

The Astana International Financial Centre

The AIFC is a special financial jurisdiction in Astana based on English common law, with the AIFC Court separate from Kazakhstan's courts and the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) as its regulator. The AIFC describes a 0% dividend withholding tax and capital gains tax for all participants. Its currency regime is set by the AIFC Rules on Currency Regulation and Provision of Information on Currency Transactions, AIFC Rules No. 6 of 2021, in force since 1 December 2021.

AIFC participant activity	Rule (AIFC Rules No. 6 of 2021)
Transactions between AIFC participants	National or foreign currency (section 3.2.1)
Transactions with non-residents	Any currency at the parties' discretion, except for AIFC banks (section 3.2.2)
Transactions with Kazakh residents outside the AIFC	National or foreign currency, under AIFC and Kazakh law (section 3.2.3)
Accounts in foreign banks	Any currency, subject to applicable law (section 3.1.2(a))
Accounts at AIFC banks	Foreign currency only, except Islamic AIFC banks (section 3.1.2(b))
Reporting of capital movement contracts	$500,000 or more, to AFSA within 30 calendar days of payments starting

Sources: AIFC Rules No. 6 of 2021; AIFC, About AIFC. As published on 29 October 2026.

An AIFC company is a real operating structure, not only an account. It suits groups that raise foreign investment, hold intellectual property or run fintech activity. A trading company that ships goods from Kazakhstan still needs to consider the export currency control rules above.

Foreign USD account providers and Kazakhstan

Eligibility is set by each provider. The table records what each states on its own pages; it is not a ranking.

Provider	What its own pages state
Wise	Kazakhstan is not on its list of countries where businesses can hold money; Wise states that USD details are available only where your address is in a country where you can open a currency account
Airwallex	Kazakhstan is not on its list of supported registration locations; unlisted locations cannot be processed
Payoneer	Global fee page: receiving into an account in a currency that is not your local currency costs 1% (minimum 1.00 USD); different prices may apply in different territories; availability is subject to eligibility
Mercury	Accepts only companies formed and registered in the United States or a US territory, and publishes a list of founder countries it cannot support

Sources: Wise on USD account details, Airwallex eligible countries, Payoneer pricing, Mercury eligibility. As published on 29 October 2026.

Before you apply, check whose name is on the account details, which rails they accept (ACH only, or also Fedwire and SWIFT), and how money reaches Kazakhstan when a repatriation deadline falls due. Any account abroad must be notified before its first transaction.

The US company route

Some Kazakh founders form a US company, usually a limited liability company (LLC) or a Delaware corporation, and open a US account in its name. Mercury, for example, requires the company to be formed and registered in the United States or a US territory and to have existing or planned US operations. It needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN), the US federal tax number for a business. The IRS instructions for Form SS-4 state that applicants with no legal residence, principal place of business or principal office in the US may call 267-941-1099 from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday to Friday, and may fax the form to 304-707-9471 from outside the United States.

The US company is a separate entity with its own filings, and money it earns belongs to it. Funding it from Kazakhstan is a capital movement: capital movement contracts above $500,000 need registration, and goods exported from Kazakhstan stay subject to repatriation whichever entity invoices the buyer. Take Kazakh and US advice first.

Documents you need

Banks and providers ask for broadly the same company file. The list below is a typical checklist; each bank sets its own.

Document	Kazakh bank account	USD account abroad
Certificate or statement of state registration with the business identification number (BIN)	Yes	Yes, often with a certified translation
Charter	Yes	Usually
Decision appointing the director and signatories	Yes	Usually
Identity documents of directors, signatories and owners of 25% or more	Yes	Yes, passport
Description of activity, counterparties and expected volumes	Often	Yes
Export or import contracts, with a Kazakh or Russian translation if in another language	Yes, for contract registration above $50,000	Often, for the first large payments
Notification of the foreign account	Not applicable	Filed by the company before the first transaction

Typical requirements compiled by the Helm Editorial Team from the NBK rules and market practice; requirements vary by bank and provider. As published on 29 October 2026.

The BIN is the business identification number every Kazakh legal entity receives on registration. Keep the company's English name consistent across the charter, contracts and invoices, because a mismatch between the Russian, Kazakh and English names is a common cause of delay in wires and compliance reviews.

Digital assets and stablecoins in Kazakhstan

Stablecoins are digital tokens designed to hold a steady value against a currency such as the US dollar. USDC and USDT are the two most widely used dollar stablecoins. Kazakhstan regulates them under the Law on Digital Assets, Law No. 193-VII of 6 February 2023, in force from 1 April 2023 and amended in 2026.

Two kinds of digital asset. The NBK announced on 30 April 2026 that a comprehensive framework took effect on 1 May 2026. It recognizes unsecured digital assets, meaning cryptoassets, and digital financial assets, which include money-backed stablecoins, tokenized real assets and digital forms of traditional financial instruments.
Licensed providers. From 1 May 2026, licensing of unsecured digital asset exchange operators and registration of trading platform and digital financial asset platform operators proceed by application to the NBK. The NBK supervises providers outside the AIFC; the AIFC continues to regulate digital asset firms within its own jurisdiction.
Not a means of payment. As summarized from the consolidated law, unsecured digital assets are not recognized as a means of payment in Kazakhstan.

Question	What the sources say
Are stablecoins regulated?	Yes, money-backed stablecoins are digital financial assets under the Law on Digital Assets
Who licenses crypto exchanges?	The NBK outside the AIFC, from 1 May 2026; AFSA inside the AIFC
Is crypto a means of payment?	Unsecured digital assets are not recognized as a means of payment
Where can a company convert USDT?	Through a provider licensed by the NBK or authorized in the AIFC

Sources: National Bank of Kazakhstan press release of 30 April 2026; CryptoSlate profile of Law No. 193-VII on Digital Assets. As published on 29 October 2026.

A Kazakh company paid in USDC or USDT by a buyer abroad should treat the receipt as an export receipt for currency control purposes, document the underlying sale, and take advice before routing proceeds of a registered contract through a stablecoin. Our overview of stablecoin payment rules by country compares other markets.

Where a Helm USD account fits

Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank. Accounts are held with regulated partner institutions. Helm provides USD account details in your company's own name, with a US routing and account number that receives ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT payments, alongside EUR and GBP details. For a Kazakh company, a Helm account is an account abroad, so notify it before the first transaction and include it in your currency control reporting.

IT firms, agencies and other service exporters can give US clients domestic US payment details, so a client pays by ACH as it would pay a US vendor.
Importers can send international payments to suppliers by SWIFT, or by local rails in the supplier's currency where available, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before sending.
Companies paid in stablecoins can receive USDC and USDT and convert them to USD inside the account.
Goods exporters should agree with the bank that registered each contract how a payment collected abroad will satisfy repatriation.

Each account has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. Trade finance, such as supplier finance, receivables finance and working capital, is arranged case by case. Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment.

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USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.

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Questions

Can a Kazakh company open a USD account?

Yes. Kazakh banks open foreign currency accounts in US dollars for companies in their own name. A company can also open an account abroad, provided it notifies the authorities before the first transaction, or form a US company with its own US account.

Do I need to register an export contract in Kazakhstan?

Yes, if the export or import contract exceeds $50,000 or has no amount fixed at signing. The authorized bank that services the company's account assigns the contract an account number before either party performs, within two business days of complete documents.

What is repatriation in Kazakhstan?

Repatriation is the duty to bring foreign currency earnings from exports back to Kazakhstan, and advance payments for imports when the foreign supplier does not perform. The State Revenue Committee monitors it, and the fine for failing to repatriate is reported as 20% of the unrepatriated amount above $50,000.

Can a Kazakh company have a bank account abroad?

Yes. A resident company must notify the authorities of the foreign account before any transaction on it, and file monthly reports with account statements where settlements under a registered contract run through it. Individuals are not required to notify.

What are the AIFC currency rules?

AIFC Rules No. 6 of 2021 let AIFC participants settle with non-residents in any currency and with each other in national or foreign currency. Non-bank participants may open accounts in foreign banks in any currency, subject to applicable law, and capital movement contracts of $500,000 or more are reported to AFSA.

What changed in Kazakh currency control in 2026?

NBK Resolution No. 29 of 31 March 2026 took effect on 19 April 2026. As summarized by Moore Kazakhstan, banks must review transactions for currency control and report violations, and businesses must justify the purpose of foreign currency purchases.

Can a Kazakh business get a Wise USD account?

Not at present. Kazakhstan is not on Wise's list of countries where businesses can hold money, and Wise gives USD account details only where you can hold money. Wise also states that USD details are available only where your address is in a country where you can open a currency account, so check eligibility for your business on Wise's own pages.

Is USDT legal in Kazakhstan?

Digital assets are regulated under Law No. 193-VII on Digital Assets. From 1 May 2026, the NBK licenses exchange operators outside the AIFC, money-backed stablecoins are classed as digital financial assets, and unsecured digital assets are not recognized as a means of payment.

Can a Kazakh founder get a US EIN?

Yes. The IRS instructions for Form SS-4 let international applicants call 267-941-1099 to obtain an EIN, Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants outside the US can also fax Form SS-4 to 304-707-9471.

References

HelmHelm is a business account for companies that trade internationally: USD, EUR and GBP accounts, international payments, collections and currency exchange, with a named account manager. Questions: [email protected].

This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and timings were checked against the sources listed on the review date and may change.

USD business account in Kazakhstan