In 2025, Kazakhstan established a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) focused on blockchain technology. This initiative, aligned with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Solana Foundation, aims to foster blockchain pilots and startup incubation. The SEZ is modeled after the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) to support the growth of digital assets.
Kazakhstan plans a tokenized capital markets pilot involving the Astana International Exchange (AIX), Jupiter, Intebix, and the Solana Foundation. This pilot seeks to integrate tokenized assets into the country's financial markets. A national developer education program will also be introduced, focusing on Rust and blockchain engineering.
Digital Development Minister Zhasian Madiyev highlighted the SEZ's strategic importance for experimenting with asset tokenization. The SEZ is designed to nurture blockchain developers, positioning Kazakhstan to lead in tokenized finance in Central Asia.