News

Astana Hub has released AlemLLM, described as the largest domestic Kazakh-language model, for public use. Startups, universities, companies and international platforms may use it free of charge to develop products, test solutions and integrate services; plans include connecting it to government agencies and digital services such as eGov.

The World Bank approved a loan to Kazakhstan to support the creation, commercialization, and scale-up of technology startups, aiding productivity-driven growth and economic diversification. The project is implemented by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development with Astana Hub and other partners.

According to the original article, Akashi unveiled a future world-class data center in Astana. The original article did not disclose specific details such as the investment scale, construction timeline, or partners. Companies interested in Kazakhstan's digital infrastructure sector should watch for further information.

On October 3, Kazakh Prime Minister Bektenov attended the “AI and Digital Bridge 2026” forum and presented awards. During the forum, the parties concluded more than 60 new agreements. The Prime Minister said that Kazakhstan was advancing digital infrastructure and that the “Data Center Valley” project had an energy potential of up to 1 gigawatt. He expressed willingness to cooperate with global technology companies.

At the AI & Digital Bridge 2026 forum held in Astana from October 1 to 3, government agencies, companies, and universities signed multiple agreements covering computing infrastructure, digital finance, digital assets, talent development, and international cooperation. MultiBank Group plans to invest US$30 million to US$40 million.

Three documents were signed at the AI & Digital Bridge 2026 forum. Three R&D centers will be established at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, focusing on AI applications, alternative and renewable energy, and digital data storage. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy coordinates energy-sector projects.

Kazakhstan plans to set up joint R&D centers in alternative and renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and digital data storage, with partners from China. Related documents were signed at the AI & Digital Bridge 2026 forum; the Ministry of Energy will coordinate.

On 6 October the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) extended the anti-dumping duty on Chinese seamless oil and gas well pipes until 5 October 2031 inclusive, at 12.23% to 31.00% of customs value depending on the producer. On 29 September the EEC Board terminated the price undertakings of Neway Valve (Suzhou) on steel wedge gate valves, so from 30 October all of the company's valves face a 25.57% duty. On 8 September the duty on Chinese stainless steel welded pipes was extended to 7 September 2031. Kazakhstan is an EAEU member, so the measures apply to imports into the country.

Akmola regional prosecutors said on 24 September that the general director of China's Dalian Hesheng Holdings had twice been refused an investor visa, which was issued after they stepped in. With local partner Asia Altyn Dan LLP, the company is building a wheat deep-processing complex in the Aqmola industrial zone in Arshaly district: three phases, 3 million tonnes of total processing capacity, and 1 million tonnes of wheat a year in phase one. Two official investment figures exist: KZT 300 billion (government, April) and KZT 385 billion (prosecutors, September).

At the Kazakhstan–China Investment Forum on 25 September, Almaty's city akimat and Guotai Junan Securities (Hong Kong) Limited signed a memorandum of understanding on arranging and supporting a dim sum bond issue on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. KAZAKH INVEST says the issue is for city-owned SPK Almaty JSC. No size, tenor, coupon or timing has been disclosed. In August and September KazMunayGas (CNY 3.5 billion) and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (CNY 3.7 billion) placed dim sum bonds, and Guotai Junan International was among DBK's arrangers.

Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus had about 300 million users in 2025 and drove nearly 12 billion dollars in incremental annualized sales; in July 2026 Kaspi.kz launched Kasper, a Kazakh- and Russian-speaking assistant, in Almaty. Drawing on a talk by a former Rufus team member, this article sets out seven points on AI-guided shopping and five tips for Chinese sellers in Kazakhstan: rewrite product cards in Russian and Kazakh, manage reviews and returns, try platform tools early, start small with internal AI, and avoid relying on a single entry point.

Kazatomprom's extraordinary shareholder meeting, held by absentee ballot, is considering a spot-term contract to sell natural uranium concentrates (U3O8) to SNURDC, a subsidiary of State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), with physical delivery to Alashankou railway station in China. Ballots closed at 18:00 on 6 October, and votes are to be counted by 18:00 Astana time on 7 October. Price, volumes and timing are confidential. A Uranium One contract and a board change are also on the agenda. In August, shareholders approved Letter of Agreement No. 1 to a long-term contract with CNUC.

In June 2026 Jiangsu province opened the Jiangsu Center in Central Asia in Astana, a one-stop service hub for Chinese companies entering Kazakhstan and the region, offering consulting, exhibitions and Silk Road e-commerce support. It is built and run by provincial state-owned Suhao Holding. A Jiangsu trade and economic representative office in Kazakhstan, set up by the provincial commerce department and Suhao, opened at the same time. The operator dates the ceremony to 11 June.

Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry said on 6 October that three large coal chemicals projects are under way and a 2026-2031 roadmap for the sector is in draft. The lead project is a metallurgical coke plant in Dubovka, Karaganda region, where an investment agreement with a Chinese investor has been signed. Kazakhstan Success Coking Energy LLP will invest 63.5 billion tenge, start production in 2029 at up to 500,000 tonnes a year and reach about 1 million tonnes by end-2031. Two other projects will each make 100,000 tonnes of diesel a year from coal. The roadmap has not yet been approved.

On Oct. 1, the first scheduled Shijiazhuang–Tacheng–Central Asia rail-road freight train left Shijiazhuang International Land Port with 110 TEUs of auto parts bound for Almaty, Burundai and other Kazakh cities via Tacheng. For Chinese exporters, a fixed weekly timetable supports production planning and more predictable deliveries to Kazakhstan.

KazMunayGas (KMG) said on 30 September that overall progress at the Silleno polyethylene plant in Atyrau region has passed 39%, with work on the approved schedule and more than 5,000 workers and 500 pieces of equipment on site. The plant is designed to make 1.25 million tonnes of polyethylene a year from ethane separated from Tengiz gas, with start-up planned for 2029. Sinopec holds 30%, and two Sinopec engineering companies are partners in the EPC contracts for the ethane cracker and for the polymerisation unit and utilities.

China's Ministry of Commerce issued Notice No. 404 on 29 September on 2027 car and motorcycle export licences. Unlike last year, automakers must document overseas service outlets with contracts, local permits and proof of repair capability; first-category car makers need at least 50 outlets. They must also sign a compliance document and declare prices accurately. The online system opened on 30 September and local reviews close on 28 October. Kazakh dealers and workshops serving Chinese brands will be drawn into the paperwork.

During AI & Digital Bridge 2026 in Astana (1–3 October), Chinese speech and AI company iFLYTEK signed a memorandum with the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University. According to both sides, the cooperation covers Kazakh and multilingual AI, speech technology, large language models and agents, joint research and talent training. An iFLYTEK team visited ISSAI on 3 September, and the company opened a Central Asia office in Tashkent in July. No amounts, projects or timelines were disclosed.

Local media report that Akashi Data Center in Astana is building four modules with 100 MW in total and about $354 million of investment, with China Mobile among its partners. The first 50 MW facility of Data Center Valley in Pavlodar Region is scheduled for June 2027, with potential to reach 1 GW. For Chinese cloud, telecom and AI computing firms, Kazakhstan offers new customer and partnership prospects.

On 25 September, at the Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum in Almaty, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) and CCB Astana signed an agreement on preliminary terms for a credit line of up to 2 billion yuan (about $300 million). The money is earmarked for energy, industry and transport infrastructure, including joint Kazakhstan-China projects. DBK says the final amount, rate and tenor are still being negotiated and funds will be released as individual projects are approved. DBK placed a 3.7 billion yuan dim sum bond in early September.