BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 3. Kazakhstan plans to
launch its unified QR payment system on July 19, 2026,
This was announced in a statement released by the National Bank
of Kazakhstan following a meeting involving representatives of the
National Bank, the Agency for Financial Market Regulation and
Development, the management of second-tier banks, and
representatives of the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan.
According to the National Bank, in the course of the meeting,
the parties agreed to begin a phased expansion of the unified QR
system starting July 7, ahead of its scheduled launch date.
''The parties reviewed the participation of second-tier banks in
the Interbank Mobile Payment System and discussed the next steps in
introducing mobile transfer and QR payment services.
The meeting also focused on cooperation between banks and
digital asset market participants, the use of the digital tenge,
and improvements to the framework governing banks' access to
government information services,'' National Bank's statement
says.
Following the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment
to continuing joint efforts to implement the planned
initiatives.
According to Alatau City Bank, the unified QR system will be
operated by the National Payment Corporation (NPC), a subsidiary of
the National Bank that already manages the country's Interbank
Mobile Payment System.
The unified QR system is designed as a single payment channel
connecting different banking ecosystems. Rather than replacing
existing banking products, it enables interoperability between
banks. Unlike traditional card payments, which typically pass
through international payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard
before reaching the merchant's bank, the unified QR system will
process transactions directly through the National Payment
Corporation to the acquiring bank and merchant, reducing reliance
on international payment networks and keeping payment processing
within Kazakhstan.
