Over 1,000 Crypto-Related Criminal Cases Registered in Kazakhstan, Losses Top $15 Million

Kazakhstan has recorded more than 1,000 criminal cases involving illegal cryptocurrency operations over the past two years, according to official data disclosed by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sanzhar Adilov at a forum on crypto crime investigation.

60% of these cases involved fraud, 25% were tied to illegal exchange operations, and 15% related to money laundering through digital assets. The total financial damage suffered by individuals and organizations exceeded 8 billion Kazakhstani tenge (over US$15 million).

Adilov said the ministry is rolling out a comprehensive set of systemic measures in coordination with other agencies to combat cybercrime. A key initiative is the creation of an “anti-fraud center” tasked with dealing with suspicious websites and phone numbers.

Since January 2025, authorities have blocked over 26,000 websites and intercepted 64 million scam-related calls.

Crypto Expansion vs. Illicit Activity

Kazakhstan became a crypto mining hotspot following China’s crackdown a few years ago. Miners were initially allowed to trade coins only on licensed exchanges within the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC).

In recent years, the government has moved to expand the crypto ecosystem by piloting crypto payment cards, exploring legalized trading beyond AIFC, and planning a “Crypto City” test zone for coin payments. However, the rise of illicit crypto transactions has prompted stricter enforcement.

In September, authorities seized US$10 million in digital assets from a regional crypto pyramid scheme targeting investors in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus.

In October, Astana claimed that nearly US$17 million was confiscated from 130 illegal crypto exchanges dismantled in 2025 alone.

BrokersView advises investors to exercise extreme caution with crypto schemes and thoroughly understand all details before investing. Investors can learn more about crypto scams by asking a question.