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AI, startups, tech and digital transformation — Kazakhstan & the world
The digital tenge integrates with Kaspi and Halyk Bank mobile applications, enabling instant payments without intermediaries. The launch accelerates the digitalization of Kazakhstan's economy, reducing transaction costs by 40%. For businesses, this opens new opportunities in fintech, especially in cross-border payments with China and Turkey. Importantly now: the regulator announced scaling to 5 million users by the end of 2026.
Today, May 13, 2026, the XRP ETF raised $26 million due to speculation around the 'Clarity Act', while high CPI data caused a drop in BTC, ETH, and XRP. Ripple is promoting services for institutions, facing lobbying by banks on yield. This signals growing interest in XRP amid volatility, which is important for investors in Central Asia right now.
Today, May 12, 2026, Kaspi.kz announced the launch of digital tenge (CBDC) support for all users. The platform allows instant transfers without commissions up to 1 million tenge. This accelerates the digitization of payments in Kazakhstan, where the share of cash has fallen to 15%. For businesses, this provides access to new blockchain tools, reducing costs by 40%.
The fintech industry is undergoing a transformation: platforms are no longer choosing between fiat and cryptocurrencies but are integrating both. From stablecoins to corporate payment rails, new solutions are changing the architecture of money flows. This is critical for companies that want to remain competitive in a digitalized environment.
Kazakhstan's largest fintech giant, Kaspi.kz, in collaboration with the National Bank of Kazakhstan, has introduced the infrastructure for the digital tenge. The platform uses a permissioned blockchain from ConsenSys, ensuring security and scalability. This will accelerate the digitization of payments in Central Asia, where the volume of mobile transactions exceeded 15 trillion tenge in 2025. Businesses need to adapt to new standards right now.
Kazakhstan has joined the global trend of introducing central bank digital currencies. The project will cover retail payments, transfers between individuals, and integration with existing payment infrastructure. This is critical for the region, where mobile payments are growing by 45% annually.
American payment giant Mastercard announced the acquisition of BVNK, a company specializing in stablecoin infrastructure, for up to $1.8 billion. This will integrate blockchain payments into Mastercard's global network, focusing on cross-border transfers and treasury operations. The deal closes by the end of 2026 and strengthens positions in hybrid fiat-stablecoin settlements. For businesses, this means new opportunities for fast and cheap international payments right now.
The deal will allow Mastercard to integrate traditional payment systems with emerging blockchain technologies. Part of the sum ($300 million) depends on BVNK achieving certain metrics. The closing of the deal is expected in 2026. This is a strategic move that will allow the payment network to embed itself in the ecosystem of stablecoins and tokenized deposits as they become mainstream.
On March 19, 2026, FinTech Breakthrough announced Bottomline as the winner in the B2B Payments Innovation category. Paymode is the first to combine commercial digital banking with a major B2B payment network, enabling secure ACH payments with rebates. This is transforming the business payment infrastructure market today, as banks seek new revenue sources without high fees.
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