S&P revised its outlook on Tsesna Bank to Positive
The rating actions reflect our view that Tsesna Bank's systemic importance in the Kazakhstan banking system has been increasing. Over the past three years, Tsesna Bank has improved its overall market position to No. 7 among Kazakhstan's 38 commercial banks by assets, with a market share of 4.5% as of April 1, 2013.
Frankfurt. May 27. Kazakhstan Today - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services revised its outlook on Tsesna Bank to positive from stable and affirmed its 'B' long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings.
According to S&P, it "raised its Kazakhstan national scale rating on the bank to 'kzBBB-' from 'kzBB+'."
"The rating actions reflect our view that Tsesna Bank's systemic importance in the Kazakhstan banking system has been increasing. Over the past three years, Tsesna Bank has improved its overall market position to No. 7 among Kazakhstan's 38 commercial banks by assets, with a market share of 4.5% as of April 1, 2013," S&P reported.
"It is currently the seventh largest domestic bank by retail deposits, and the sixth largest by net loans and corporate deposits, including those of many flagship state-owned companies. In both net loans and corporate deposits, Tsesna Bank holds a 6% market share," the rating agency stated.
"In our view, Tsesna Bank's increasing leadership role in the Kazakh banking sector is reflected in its active participation in Business Road Map 2020, the government's development program for the Kazakh economy. As of April 1, 2013, Tsesna Bank was fourth among domestic banks in terms of total volume of approved loan applications under the program," S&P said.
"Over the past three years, Tsesna Bank has advanced its market position in Kazakhstan to reach seventh place. It is also an active participant in the country's growth program, Business Road Map 2020," the rating agency stated.
"In our opinion, this indicates that Tsesna Bank's systemic importance in Kazakhstan is rising. We are therefore revising our outlook on Tsesna Bank to positive from stable and affirming our 'B' ratings. We are also raising the long-term national scale rating to 'kzBBB-' from 'kzBB+'.The positive outlook reflects the potential for an upgrade if we were to reassess Tsesna Bank as being of moderate systemic importance in Kazakhstan," according to the S&P.
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Kazakhstan and China Strengthen Investment and Financial Cooperation
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With the support of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Shanghai, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), in cooperation with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, held the business event "AIFC Connect: Shanghai 2026", Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The main objective of the event was to strengthen investment and financial cooperation between Kazakhstan and China, develop direct contacts with Chinese investors, and promote projects through the AIFC infrastructure.
The Consul General of Kazakhstan in Shanghai, Nurlan Akkoshkarov, emphasized the strategic nature of Kazakh-Chinese relations, as well as the priorities of deepening investment cooperation, integrating capital markets, and expanding bilateral business ties. To date, trade turnover between the two countries has reached USD 48.7 billion, reflecting steady growth in bilateral trade.
The event featured presentations of AIFC projects, the Green Finance Centre, and business representatives, including KAZ Minerals Management, Solidcore Eurasia, and ITS CSD. Participants were introduced to a wide range of investment opportunities-from mining and metallurgical industries and infrastructure projects to digital solutions and green finance instruments.
Special attention was given to capital market integration. The discussion included representatives of Samruk-Kazyna, China International Capital Corporation (CICC), Freedom Broker, and Jiaxin International Resources Investment Ltd.
During the forum, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the AIFC Green Finance Centre and the International Green Economy Association (IGEA), aimed at developing joint environmental initiatives. The AIFC Insights analytical center also presented an overview of capital markets in Central Asia and the Caucasus, noting that Kazakhstan remains the region’s largest financial market, with a bond market volume of approximately USD 81 billion.
A key practical outcome was the announcement of expanded opportunities for listing yuan-denominated bonds (panda bonds) on the Astana International Exchange (AIX), in which the Shanghai Stock Exchange is a shareholder. In April 2026, AIX carried out the first placement of panda bonds in Kazakhstan and Central Asia by Samruk-Kazyna totaling 3 billion yuan, creating an additional channel for attracting Chinese capital.
In response to the global demand for decarbonization, the regional AIFC Carbon Platform was presented, enabling operations with international instruments, including I-REC certificates and carbon credits. In addition, the capabilities of the AIFC aviation hub were showcased, designed for structuring aircraft leasing and financing transactions.
The event concluded with a series of bilateral meetings, during which specific projects and cooperation formats between business representatives and financial institutions of Kazakhstan and China were discussed.
The AIFC operates as a jurisdiction based on English common law and serves as a regional platform for attracting investment, developing capital markets, and introducing financial instruments. The AIFC Connect format is aimed at direct engagement with investors and has previously been implemented in key financial centers, including Singapore, London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Beijing.
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Kazakhstan not to change format of its participation in OPEC+
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At present, the issue of changing the country’s participation format in the OPEC+ is not on the agenda, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said in a statement, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Kazakhstan has been part of OPEC+ since 2016. Member states are coordinating oil production volumes to help stabilize global prices.
Earlier, the United Arab Emirates said it would exit OPEC+ after more than 50 years, citing national interests and market flexibility.
In March 2026, eight OPEC+ countries, including Kazakhstan, agreed to increase oil output starting April, with a monthly rise of 206,000 barrels per day.
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Kazakhstan and Slovakia Discuss Priority Areas for Transport and Logistics Cooperation
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Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Slovakia, Zhanna Saginova met with the Minister of Transport of the Slovak Republic, Jozef Ráž, to discuss ways to advance bilateral cooperation in the transport sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Ambassador outlined Kazakhstan’s potential as a key transport and logistics hub in Eurasia, noting that these capabilities could be leveraged both in bilateral economic relations and in the development of transit multimodal transport.
In the context of expanding trade and economic cooperation, the parties emphasized the importance of developing efficient routes and resilient supply chains between Kazakhstan and Slovakia. The Ambassador also highlighted the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route linking Central Asia and Europe and invited the Slovak side to consider joining the International Association of TITR.
The parties agreed that strengthening transport connectivity would benefit from aligning the Middle Corridor with the Trans-European Transport Network, in which Bratislava serves as one of Europe’s key transport hubs, offering multimodal services, including inland waterway transport. As a potential partner of the Association, the Minister proposed the Slovak Republic Public Port.
Particular attention was also given to cooperation in civil aviation and air cargo. The interlocutors underlined the importance of establishing regular direct passenger flights between Kazakhstan and Slovakia, as well as the potential of using the international airports of Astana and Almaty - both with modern infrastructure and advantageous geographic locations - as transit hubs for flights from Slovakia to Asia. According to the Slovak side, the early conclusion of a relevant bilateral agreement would create the necessary conditions for both passenger and cargo air services.
Jozef Ráž reaffirmed the Slovak Government’s interest in deepening cooperation with Kazakhstan and noted that the development of transport logistics and direct air links would help expand bilateral trade, strengthen business ties, increase tourist flows, and enhance humanitarian contacts between the two countries.
At the end of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their readiness to make the necessary efforts to further develop transport and logistics cooperation between Kazakhstan and Slovakia.
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Kazakhstan plans to export AI heat network diagnostics project to Uzbekistan
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An AI-based system for diagnosing the condition of heating networks has been developed in Kazakhstan, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said at a Government's meeting, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to him, the project is a robotic diagnostic complex that conducts in-pipe inspections using the acoustic resonance method.
The AI model analyzes the collected data, assesses the technical condition of heating infrastructure, detects defects, and predicts accident risks.
A pilot project has been implemented at Quatjyluortalyq-3 in Shymkent. The project is currently at the scaling stage.
Following the pilot project in Shymkent, significant results were achieved, including a reduction in repair budgets of up to 75% and an economic effect of up to 887 million tenge per year," Yerlan Akkenzhenov said.
The minister added that the product has export potential, and efforts are underway to promote it in the market of Uzbekistan.
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10 AI-based projects underway in Kazakhstan’s railway sector
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Transport Minister of Kazakhstan Nurlan Sauranbayev spoke about artificial intelligence projects currently being implemented in Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics sector, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to him, a key tool of the transformation has been the Smart Cargo platform, which brings together government agencies and business representatives. All cargo information is available through a QR code.
AI automatically checks documents, builds routes, tracks cargo movement, and determines the required permits. As a result, border crossing time has been reduced from four hours to 30 minutes," Nurlan Sauranbayev said.
Digitalization has also reached the railway sector, where around 10 AI-based projects are being implemented. The main one is the KinetiX diagnostic system.
Previously, diagnostics were carried out manually, took up to two hours, and depended on the human factor. Now the system automatically uses video analytics to detect wagon defects, predict faults, and monitor nine key parameters in real time. As a result, the diagnostic process has been reduced to eight minutes," the minister said.
In road transport, an intelligent freight control system is also being introduced. AI determines transport routes, compares data with weigh station records, detects violations, and automatically sends alerts. This helps prevent bypassing weight control checks and reduces road wear.
A unified intelligent transport system, e-Kōlik, is also being developed. Built on the QazTech platform, it will integrate all modes of transport. The system will collect and process data, forecast traffic flows, and automatically make operational decisions.
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