Binance plans to seek a new Kazakh payments license after signing with the central bank

@binance has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Bank of Kazakhstan and is preparing to apply for a new payments license, in a move that would deepen the exchange's footprint across Central Asia.

What the MoU covers

Deputy Governor Binur Zhalenov confirmed that the National Bank signed the agreement with @binance on September 4. The MoU carries no binding legal obligations but sets out a framework for cooperation. Zhalenov signed the agreement as part of a broader push that included three separate MoUs inked the same day. The other two involve cooperation with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and the Astana International Financial Centre.

The memorandum puts @binance on a path to apply for a Category 1 non-bank Payment Service Provider license, a credential designed to allow digital assets and traditional fiat currencies to operate alongside each other. The license permits payments but does not extend to deposits or lending. No formal application has been filed yet.

According to Zhalenov, @binance intends to use Kazakhstan as a base to serve nearby post-Soviet countries, signalling a regional expansion strategy rather than a purely domestic one. The three simultaneous MoUs suggest a coordinated government strategy rather than a one-off deal, with multiple ministries and regulatory bodies aligned on the same digital finance agenda.

Building on an existing presence

This MoU is not @binance's first move in Kazakhstan. The exchange received a Digital Asset Trading Facility license through Binance Kazakhstan back in 2024, giving it a regulated foothold in the country. That foothold became more tangible in July 2026 when @binance launched Binance Pay in partnership with Alatau City Bank, going live across 5,000 point-of-sale terminals and allowing users to spend crypto at physical merchants.

Cooperation areas under the broader set of agreements include the issuance of a stablecoin in Kazakhstan, further development of infrastructure for payments using digital assets, and improvement of tax and judicial approaches in the digital asset sector.

The Category 1 PSP license, if granted, would represent a further step in Kazakhstan's push to position itself as a regulated hub for digital finance in the region, with @binance serving as a key commercial partner in that effort.

Sources:
Crypto Briefing: Kazakhstan's National Bank signs MoU with Binance to expand digital asset services
Trend.Az: Binance inks two MoUs with Kazakhstan on digital assets and payments
FX News Group: Binance Kazakhstan obtains full Digital Asset Trading Facility license