Financed entrepreneurs receive over 20 billion tenge
Kazakhstan is making significant strides in its Entrepreneurship Protection Strategy, with a key emphasis on eliminating excessive administrative barriers and enhancing the protection of entrepreneurs' rights. This approach aligns with the country's broader digital and economic modernization goals.
One of the key areas of focus is the removal of regulatory bottlenecks, particularly in the digital trade and e-commerce sectors. As part of the National Strategy for E-Commerce Development, approved in March 2025, Kazakhstan is working to foster innovation and level the playing field for local enterprises against foreign competitors benefiting from favourable tax regimes.
The government has implemented a regulatory sandbox since 2018, allowing fintech and other startups to test products without breaching laws. This progressive environment for entrepreneurship has been further bolstered by projects like Open API and Open Banking, designed to facilitate digital financial services and enhance ease of business operations.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has also emphasized the importance of accelerated AI integration and digital transformation, calling for the creation of a unified national digital ecosystem that supports economic growth and entrepreneurship. He has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of infrastructure and legal framework development, implicitly urging the removal of hurdles faced by entrepreneurs due to slow regulatory adaptation.
The 2024 annual report of the Business Ombudsman, briefed to President Tokayev, highlighted the main focus on identifying and eliminating excessive administrative barriers for businesses. Kanat Nurov, the Business Ombudsman, reported that out of 3275 appeals from entrepreneurs regarding rights violations, 1759 (53.7%) resulted in positive decisions.
President Tokayev has emphasized the need for further strengthening measures to protect the rights of entrepreneurs. In response, the Business Ombudsman has proposed changes to normative legal acts regulating entrepreneurial activity. Individual cases were sent to relevant regulatory and law enforcement agencies.
President Tokayev has issued several instructions aimed at resolving systemic issues within the framework of the Entrepreneurship Protection Strategy. These instructions reflect the government's commitment to creating an environment that supports and protects entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan.
In summary, Kazakhstan's approach to entrepreneurship protection currently focuses on digital economy regulatory reform, creating innovation-friendly environments such as regulatory sandboxes, and developing comprehensive digital strategies under strong governmental oversight to remove excessive administrative barriers and protect business interests.
Finances within the Kazakhstani business sector are experiencing reform, with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's emphasis on accelerated AI integration and digital transformation aiming to enhance digital financial services and facilitate ease of business operations. This strategic approach to entrepreneurship protection in the country's general-news landscape also includes implementing regulatory changes and improving the legal framework to eliminate excessive administrative barriers in politics, particularly for e-commerce and fintech startups.