More than $1 trillion annually is already passing through digital wallets and super apps in Asia, and the global digital payments market is forecast by Statista to exceed $14 trillion by 2027. Against this backdrop, regulators are accelerating the launch of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), while neobanks and crypto companies are aggressively entering the small and medium-sized business segment.

In 2026, fintech has entered a phase of mass infrastructure restructuring: CBDC pilots are transitioning to industrial exploitation, crypto payments are being integrated into familiar processing networks, and neobanks are taking millions of customers from traditional banks. For businesses, this means not just new ways to pay and receive money, but the need to review payment architecture, compliance, and IT security. The issue is particularly acute in countries with a rapidly growing digital economy, where the share of cashless payments already exceeds 70 percent. Now is the time for companies in Kazakhstan and Central Asia to decide how to integrate into the new payment map of the world in order not to be left behind. Companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) are already seeing an increase in requests for payment infrastructure modernization and integration with new fintech platforms.

Digital payments and infrastructure: the market is redistributing trillions

According to the McKinsey Global Payments Report 2025, the global payment market revenue exceeded $3.2 trillion, and by 2027 it could reach $3.8 trillion. At the same time, the digital payment segment is growing the fastest: according to Statista, their transaction volume will exceed $14 trillion by 2027, with an average annual growth of over 11–12 percent. This means that the traditional card infrastructure is gradually giving way to hybrid models, where APIs, open banking, and cloud processing platforms play a key role.

In Asia, the share of cashless payments in retail in a number of countries already exceeds 90 percent, and QR payments have long become the standard for small businesses. In the European Union, the infrastructure of instant payments SEPA Instant Credit Transfer is being rolled out, where transfers up to 100 thousand euros are made in seconds, 24/7. At the technology level, the key trend of the last two years has been the transition from monolithic processing systems to microservices architecture, Kubernetes clusters, and the active use of containerization for horizontal scaling.

For businesses, this is not theory, but a direct operational agenda. Retail, e-commerce, marketplaces, and logistics platforms are faced with the fact that old gateways and billing systems simply cannot withstand current loads and reliability requirements. Downtime of one hour in a large online retailer can mean losses of tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) are increasingly implementing projects to migrate payment modules to the cloud, implement CI/CD for billing, and build fault-tolerant database clusters with RPO/RTO within a few minutes.

A separate layer of changes is happening in the regulatory environment: new KYC/AML rules, personal data protection regulations, and log storage requirements are forcing a review of the architecture of logging, auditing, and transaction monitoring. Modern payment infrastructure is no longer just processing, but a complex stack of API gateways, machine learning-based anti-fraud systems, tokenization services, and behavioral analytics modules. Companies that do not start transitioning to such architecture in 2026–2027 will face the fact that integration with new fintech services will become an expensive and complex task in a few years.

CBDC: central bank digital currencies are moving out of the pilot phase

According to the Atlantic Council, by early 2026, central bank digital currency (CBDC) projects are underway in more than 130 countries, accounting for over 98 percent of global GDP. 21 countries have already launched CBDCs at the national level or in the form of a wide public pilot, and about 40 more are in the pilot phase. In the European Union, the digital euro is being actively discussed, China is scaling up the e-CNY project, and several Latin American and Asian countries are experimenting with using CBDCs in cross-border payments and for government payments.

Interestingly, the focus is shifting from purely retail scenarios to wholesale and interbank. Many regulators view CBDCs as a tool to reduce the cost and speed of cross-border payments, as well as a basis for future programmable money. In practice, this means the ability to set conditions for the use of funds at the smart contract level: validity period, merchant restrictions, automatic distribution of taxes and fees. In 2025–2026, regulators are actively testing the combination of CBDCs with existing real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems and national fast payment systems.

For banks and fintech companies, this creates several challenges at once. Firstly, backend systems need to be modernized to work with new types of assets and protocols. Secondly, gateways are needed that integrate CBDC platforms with front-end channels: mobile apps, internet banking, corporate portals. Thirdly, the load on cybersecurity systems is increasing, as CBDC infrastructure becomes critical. Here, system integrators and outsourcers, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), who can simultaneously solve integration, scaling, and protection tasks, come to the fore.

BIS (Bank for International Settlements) experts note that in the next 3–5 years, the key issue will not be the fact of launching CBDCs, but the quality of interaction between different national systems. Multi-year experiments are already underway, where several central banks are testing common platforms based on distributed ledgers for cross-border payments. For businesses in the real sector, this could mean a reduction in the cost of international payments by 20–30 percent and a reduction in settlement times from several days to minutes. But only those companies whose internal payment infrastructure is ready for integration with new circuits will be able to take advantage of these benefits.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain in payments: from hype to infrastructure

2024–2026 has become a period when cryptocurrencies and blockchain are no longer perceived solely as a speculative asset. After the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States in 2024 and the launch of several institutional products by major asset management companies, the market has become more mature. According to CoinMarketCap, the total market capitalization of the crypto market at the beginning of 2026 exceeded $2 trillion again, with the share of stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies continuing to grow and already exceeding $150 billion. It is stablecoins that have become the key bridge between traditional payments and crypto infrastructure.

What is important for businesses is not so much the fact of the growth in capitalization, but the emergence of stable payment scenarios. Stablecoins based on Ethereum, Tron, Solana, and other networks are actively used for cross-border payments, payments to freelancers and suppliers, as well as within large ecosystems. The commission for a transfer of several dollars for amounts up to tens of thousands and speed in minutes is an attractive alternative to classic bank transfers, especially where traditional infrastructure is expensive or inert. Against this backdrop, major payment providers are integrating blockchain solutions into their stacks, offering businesses the ability to accept crypto payments and automatically convert them into fiat.

Technologically, this means a new wave of requests to IT contractors. Secure wallets, institutional-level custody solutions, integration with accounting and ERP, and compliance with financial monitoring requirements are required. Companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) are seeing growing interest in building hybrid schemes where crypto infrastructure is used for part of the operations (for example, B2B payments with foreign partners), and final reporting is done in the national currency. At the same time, it is necessary to build an access control system, store keys in HSM modules, and integrate anti-fraud on top of blockchain data.

It is important to understand the risks: volatility of crypto assets, regulatory uncertainty in some jurisdictions, tax and compliance issues. Therefore, the key trend of 2026 is the institutionalization of crypto infrastructure: the emergence of licensed custodians, regulated KYC/AML processes in crypto services, and standardization of reporting. For businesses, this is a chance to use the benefits of blockchain (speed, transparency, programmability) without diving into the spontaneous and poorly regulated segment.

Neobanks and super apps: a new front of competition for SMEs

Neobanks have stopped being niche players in recent years. According to various analytical reviews, large digital banks in Europe, Asia, and Latin America already serve tens of millions of customers each, and their total valuation is in the tens of billions of dollars. They are built on a fully digital architecture, use clouds, microservices, modern frameworks, and actively implement real-time customer behavior analytics. The key trend of 2025–2026 is the active entry of neobanks into the small and medium-sized business (SME) segment, where traditional banks often offer overly complex and slow procedures.

For SME customers, speed of onboarding, transparent tariffs, and convenient integrations with accounting, CRM, and marketplace payment gateways are important. Neobanks offer account opening in 10–15 minutes, issuance of virtual cards, instant limits, and API access to all operations. Against this backdrop, the importance of super apps is growing, where payments are just one of the modules, along with logistics, marketing, HR, and document management. For businesses, this reduces operational costs: instead of five different systems, a single integrated environment is used.

However, digital speed requires digital maturity of the internal IT infrastructure. Companies need to integrate banking APIs, set up automatic payment distribution in ERP, implement webhooks and message queues for event-driven schemes. There are tasks of building two-factor authentication, secure storage of tokens, centralized logging, and monitoring of SLA payment services. Such projects are rarely implemented by the internal IT team alone, so integrators and outsourcing companies, including Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), who know how to build architecture around open banking, are entering the scene.

For regulators and traditional banks, this means a new wave of competition and the need for accelerated digitalization. Some banks find it easier to create digital subsidiaries than to rebuild old core banking systems. Others are partnering with fintech startups, outsourcing some functions. In any case, the winner will be the one who can quickly and safely integrate new payment scenarios without sacrificing stability and compliance.

What businesses should do: modernizing payment infrastructure

Against the backdrop of the simultaneous growth of digital payments, the development of CBDCs, crypto infrastructure, and neobanks, businesses face a practical question: what stack of solutions and payment architecture to choose on the horizon of 3–5 years. The key mistake is to consider each trend separately and try to implement individual services point-by-point without a common strategy. As a result, dozens of integrations, chaotic data flows, duplicate customer databases, and security vulnerabilities appear.

The optimal strategy is to first design the target payment architecture and only then choose specific solutions. In practice, this means moving to an API-oriented approach, where all payment channels and providers connect through a single integration layer. Below is an example of a simplified architectural scheme in text form:


Front (web, mobile, POS)

|

API Gateway

|

Payment Orchestration Layer

|        |          |

Acquirers  PSPs     Crypto/CBDC

|        |          |

Core Billing and Ledger

|

Accounting/ERP/BI

In real projects, message queues (Kafka, RabbitMQ), microservices for different types of transactions, separate circuits for test environments, and disaster recovery are used. Companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) help businesses audit their current infrastructure, create a roadmap for modernization, and gradually implement new components: from payment orchestrators and anti-fraud to modules for integrating with potential CBDC platforms.

The organizational part is equally important: reviewing financial control processes, separating access rights, updating incident regulations, and training staff. According to consultants, companies that systematically modernize their payment infrastructure achieve a reduction in operating costs by 15–25 percent and an increase in payment conversion in e-commerce by 3–7 percentage points. Ignoring these trends threatens not only technological debt but also direct financial losses due to downtime, regulatory penalties, and data breaches.

Что это значит для Казахстана

For Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the changes occurring in the world of fintech and digital payments are not academic but highly practical. According to the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the share of cashless payments in the country already exceeds 70 percent, and the volume of transactions through payment cards and digital wallets is growing at double-digit rates year over year. At the same time, the local market is actively integrating into global chains: cross-border e-commerce, IT exports, and remote work services require fast and cheap international payments. This directly links the regional financial system with global trends around CBDCs, stablecoins, and instant payments.

At the infrastructure level, Kazakhstan already has a developed system of cashless payments and fast payments, as well as actively developing open banking. The next step is to prepare for integration with future central bank digital currency platforms and blockchain solutions for cross-border payments. Here, the role of local IT contractors who understand both the requirements of local regulators and the specifics of global technological trends is critical. Companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) are already working on projects for banks, payment organizations, and major retail chains related to payment infrastructure modernization, cybersecurity enhancement, and integration of different payment channels into a single stack.

For businesses in Kazakhstan, the issue is quite acute: either modernize payment systems in the next 2–3 years and be ready for CBDCs, neobanks, and crypto infrastructure, or face a situation in a few years when the cost of rework and integration will be much higher. Regional companies that are already building strategic partnerships with fintech providers and IT integrators will gain a competitive advantage in the form of lower transaction costs, resilience to regulatory changes, and access to global capital and customer markets.

More than 130 countries, covering over 98 percent of global GDP, are already working on launching central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

Fintech in 2026 has ceased to be a set of fashionable startups and has become a new layer of critical financial infrastructure, where digital payments, CBDCs, crypto instruments, and neobanks converge. For businesses, this is not an abstract trend but a direct factor of competitiveness: the speed, cost, and reliability of payments are beginning to determine the success of expansion into new markets no less than the quality of the product. Kazakhstan and Central Asian countries are already included in this transformation and will gain new opportunities in the coming years due to integration with global payment circuits. The winners are those companies that are already building a strategy and partnerships with fintech and IT providers, preparing their payment infrastructure for the next wave of digitalization.

Часто задаваемые вопросы

What is CBDC and how does a central bank digital currency differ from cryptocurrency?

CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) is a digital form of a national currency issued and backed by a country's central bank, not by a private company or community. Unlike cryptocurrencies, CBDCs have the status of legal tender and are subject to the monetary policy of the state. Technologically, CBDCs can use a distributed ledger, but their issuance and circulation are fully controlled by the regulator. In the next 3–5 years, CBDCs, not private coins, may become the basis for mass digital payments and government payments.

When should businesses in Kazakhstan prepare for CBDC and new digital payments?

It makes sense for businesses to start preparing now, without waiting for the official launch of a specific CBDC in the region. In practice, this means modernizing the payment architecture, moving to API-oriented solutions, and implementing payment orchestrators and anti-fraud systems. In 12–24 months, it is possible to gradually update key components: billing, integration with banks and payment providers, monitoring, and logging systems. As a result, the company will be ready to connect to new channels (CBDCs, stablecoins, neobanks) without a radical restructuring of the IT landscape.

What are the main risks of using cryptocurrencies and blockchain in payments for businesses?

The main risks are related to exchange rate volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and the security of storing keys and assets. With exchange rate fluctuations of tens of percent per year, businesses must either use stablecoins or immediately convert crypto assets to fiat to minimize currency risk. It is also important to comply with KYC/AML requirements and taxation to avoid fines and claims from regulators. From an IT security perspective, it is critical to use proven custody solutions, HSM modules, multi-factor authentication, and regular audits of the infrastructure.

How long does it take to modernize payment infrastructure in a large company?

A typical payment infrastructure modernization project in a large company takes 9 to 24 months, depending on the complexity of the current systems and the number of integrations. The first 2–3 months are usually spent on auditing, developing the target architecture, and planning the migration. This is followed by stages of gradual implementation: launching API gateways, payment orchestrators, updating billing, and integrations with banks and providers. With proper management and the participation of experienced integrators, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), most changes are implemented without prolonged downtime and with clearly controlled switching windows.

What fintech tool is most beneficial for businesses in Kazakhstan to save on payments?

The most rapid and economically significant effect is provided by switching to modern payment gateways with orchestration support and active use of instant payments and local digital wallets. This allows reducing the cost of acquiring by 0.2–0.5 percentage points and increasing payment conversion by 3–7 percent by choosing the optimal channel for each customer. For cross-border payments, it is advisable to test stablecoins and specialized fintech providers, which are often 20–30 percent cheaper than classic bank transfers. An important condition for savings is the presence of a well-thought-out IT architecture and a partnership with experienced integrators who will help avoid redundant and duplicate solutions.

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Фото: Tech Daily / Unsplash