Crypto Mining Licensing Requirements in Kazakhstan: What You Need to Know in 2026

When Kazakhstan opened its doors to crypto mining after China’s 2021 crackdown, it didn’t just welcome miners-it built a system to control them. By 2026, mining here isn’t about plugging in rigs and hoping for the best. It’s a tightly regulated business, with strict rules on who can operate, how they must sell their coins, and even where they must sit in an office. If you’re thinking about setting up a mining operation in Kazakhstan, you need to understand the full picture-not just the tax rate, but the hidden requirements that make or break your application.

Only the AIFC Can Issue Licenses

You can’t apply for a crypto mining license anywhere in Kazakhstan. Not in Almaty. Not in Nur-Sultan. Not even through a local government office. The Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) is the only place that grants mining licenses. This isn’t just a formality-it’s the core of the entire system. The AIFC operates like a financial free zone with its own legal code, courts, and regulators. If you want to mine legally in Kazakhstan, you must become an AIFC-registered entity. That means setting up a company inside the AIFC’s physical boundaries, renting office space there, and hiring local staff. No exceptions.

You Must Be a Legal Entity or Individual Entrepreneur

Foreign individuals can’t just show up with a laptop and start mining. You must register as either a Kazakh legal entity or an individual entrepreneur under Kazakh law. This isn’t about taxes-it’s about jurisdiction. The government needs to know exactly who is running the machines. If you’re a U.S.-based company, you’ll need to incorporate a new legal entity in Kazakhstan. This isn’t a shell company. You’ll need a real office, real employees, and real accountability. The AIFC doesn’t allow offshore structures or nominee directors. Your name, your ID, your signature-all must be traceable to a real person in Kazakhstan.

Digital Mining Pools Are Mandatory

Here’s where Kazakhstan’s system gets unusual. Unlike the U.S. or Canada, where miners can run solo or join any pool they choose, Kazakhstan forces everyone into licensed digital mining pools (DMPs). There are only five approved pools as of 2026. You can’t mine independently. You can’t use a pool based in Russia or the U.S. You must connect your hardware to one of these five state-approved pools. Why? So the government can track every hash rate, every payout, and every coin movement. The pools act as gatekeepers-they report to the regulator, enforce the 75% sales rule, and ensure miners don’t secretly export coins.

75% of Mined Coins Must Be Sold on AIFC Exchanges

In 2024, miners had to sell half their output on local exchanges. In 2025, that jumped to 75%. By 2026, it’s still 75%. That’s one of the strictest currency controls in the global crypto industry. If you mine 100 BTC, you must sell 75 of them on an AIFC-licensed exchange like AIFC Crypto Exchange or KZT Crypto Market. The remaining 25% can be held or transferred-but only after you’ve reported it and paid your taxes. The goal? To force foreign capital into the local financial system. Every time you sell, the exchange converts your crypto into Kazakh tenge or U.S. dollars, and the money flows through regulated banks. The government gets visibility. And they get a cut.

15% Tax Rate-But Only If You Follow the Rules

The 15% corporate tax on mining profits sounds low compared to Germany’s 30% or the U.S.’s 21%. But here’s the catch: you only pay that rate if you comply with all the other rules. If you skip the digital mining pool, or sell less than 75% on AIFC exchanges, you’re not just non-compliant-you’re taxable under a different, much harsher regime. The AIFC has a clear message: follow the system, and you get a favorable rate. Break it, and you face penalties, asset freezes, or worse. There’s no gray zone.

The Licensing Process Takes 6 to 9 Months

Don’t expect to go from zero to mining in a month. The AIFC licensing process has three phases, each with dozens of moving parts.

• Preparation (2-4 months): You need a full business plan, financial projections with bank statements, AML/CFT policies, KYC software documentation, and proof of management experience. No vague statements. Every number must be backed by data.
• Incorporation (2-3 months): You must rent office space inside the AIFC, hire two local employees (one as AML officer, one as compliance officer), deposit share capital (minimum $50,000), and appoint a management board of at least four people.
• Application & Approval (2-3 months): You demonstrate your systems in action. This isn’t a PowerPoint. You must show live AML checks, real client onboarding simulations, and a working connection to an approved digital mining pool. The regulators will test your platform. If it fails, you restart the process.

Most applicants underestimate the time and cost. Legal fees alone can run $20,000-$40,000. You’re not just paying for paperwork-you’re paying for expertise in Kazakh financial law.

Infrastructure Requirements: Own or Lease Your Data Center

You can’t just rent a rack in a generic data center. The law requires you to have legal rights to a digital mining data processing center. That means either owning the facility outright or having a long-term lease with full operational control. The center must meet technical standards for cooling, power redundancy, and security. The AIFC doesn’t care if you’re mining with ASICs or GPUs-they care that you can prove you control the environment. If your hardware is in a warehouse in Shymkent, you need a signed lease agreement, power supply contract, and physical access logs. No exceptions.

Who’s Already Doing This?

As of early 2026, Kazakhstan has issued 84 mining licenses. Five digital mining pools are active. Over 415,000 mining machines are registered. The sector has generated $34.6 million in revenue over the past three years, and AIFC exchanges handled over $1.4 billion in trades in 2024. These aren’t hobbyists. These are institutional players-funds from Europe, tech firms from the U.S., and state-backed investors from the Gulf. The system is designed for scale, not small-time operators.

Why This System Exists

Kazakhstan isn’t trying to be the next Bitcoin hub. It’s trying to be the next regulated crypto gateway. After China banned mining, thousands of machines flooded into Kazakhstan. The government saw an opportunity: use surplus power from coal plants to attract investment, while keeping control over capital flows. The 75% sales rule isn’t about limiting miners-it’s about capturing foreign currency. The digital mining pool requirement isn’t about control-it’s about transparency. The AIFC isn’t a barrier; it’s a filter. It keeps out shady operators and brings in serious money.

What Happens If You Skip the License?

Mining without a license isn’t just illegal-it’s dangerous. Unlicensed miners risk having their equipment seized. Bank accounts can be frozen. Foreign investors can be barred from re-entering Kazakhstan. In 2024, authorities shut down 12 unlicensed operations in Karaganda and East Kazakhstan regions. The fines? Up to 10 million tenge ($21,000). And you still have to pay back taxes. The cost of skipping the system far outweighs the cost of joining it.

Is It Worth It?

If you’re a small miner with a few hundred rigs, the answer is probably no. The setup cost, legal complexity, and mandatory sales rule make it unattractive. But if you’re a company with over 10,000 machines, the 15% tax rate, stable power supply, and access to institutional investors make Kazakhstan one of the most viable options in Eurasia. It’s not the easiest place to mine-but it’s one of the most predictable.

What’s Next?

The government is already talking about a state-backed crypto reserve-using mined coins as collateral for a national digital asset fund. They’re also pushing for decriminalization of crypto trading for end users on licensed platforms. This isn’t slowing down. It’s accelerating. If you’re serious about mining in Kazakhstan, you don’t just need a license-you need a long-term strategy. The rules will keep changing. But the core structure won’t: if you want to mine here, you play by their rules.