The National Payment Corporation and the National Bank of Kazakhstan have published a White Paper summarizing the development of the Digital Tenge project and the results achieved in 2025, DKNews.kz reports.
The document outlines the outcomes of the platform’s limited production phase and highlights key achievements that have laid the groundwork for the transition to full-scale industrial operation of the national digital currency.
Focus on scaling real-world use cases
In 2025, the main priority of the project was expanding practical applications of the Digital Tenge and integrating the platform into Kazakhstan’s financial and government infrastructure.
Pilot projects allowed testing programmable payments in real economic processes and confirmed the technological reliability of the platform.
Among the key areas where Digital Tenge was tested were:
- financing infrastructure projects
- public procurement mechanisms
- government support programs for businesses
- other state budget-related payments
These scenarios enabled the targeted use of public funds and improved transparency in budget management.
Results of the limited production phase
During the limited production stage of the platform, significant operational results were achieved.
Key indicators included:
- issuance of 336.6 billion Digital Tenge
- more than one thousand transactions conducted
- successful verification of technological and operational stability
According to the report, these results confirm the platform’s readiness for further scaling and expansion.
Digital VAT system improves tax transparency
Another important development in 2025 was the enhancement of the Digital VAT mechanism.
Within this system, the value-added tax amount is automatically marked during payment and can only be used within the supply chain or transferred directly to the state.
The system connects payments with electronic invoices, creating a continuous digital record of transactions.
This approach helps:
- increase transparency of tax administration
- reduce risks of tax evasion
- accelerate VAT refunds for exporters
Programmable payments become key innovation
The development of programmable payment mechanisms became one of the major technological achievements of the project.
Two types of programmability were tested in pilot projects:
- marking, which sets conditions for how funds can be used and tracks their movement within supply chains
- holding, which allows payments to be executed automatically when predefined conditions are met
Such mechanisms can significantly increase the efficiency and automation of financial transactions.
Exploring cross-border digital currency payments
Another direction of research in 2025 involved studying the potential for cross-border payments using central bank digital currencies.
Technological tests were conducted to examine possible interaction between different national digital currency platforms.
The results demonstrated the potential for digital currencies to:
- accelerate international payments
- reduce transaction costs
- improve transparency of cross-border settlements
Preparing for full-scale launch
The results achieved in 2025 have prepared the Digital Tenge platform for the next stage of development — the transition to full-scale industrial operation.
The experience gained from pilot projects shows that the national digital currency could be effectively used in areas that require high transparency and automation, including public finance management and tax administration.
The White Paper also outlines future priorities for the Digital Tenge ecosystem, including expanding current scenarios, developing new services based on programmable money, and strengthening cooperation with financial market participants.
