Kazakhstan is set to establish a national cryptocurrency reserve fund valued between $500 million and $1 billion. The fund will be seeded with seized assets and proceeds from state-backed bitcoin mining. Central bank governor Timur Suleimenov announced the initiative in London, emphasizing careful investments through regulated instruments.
Kazakhstan's central bank is preparing to launch a national crypto reserve fund by early 2026, marking a significant step in integrating digital assets into its sovereign wealth strategy. The fund, estimated at $500 million to $1 billion, will draw from assets seized or repatriated from abroad and revenues from government-supported bitcoin mining operations.
In London this week, Central Bank Governor Timur Suleimenov outlined the approach, stating the fund will invest “very carefully” via exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and shares in digital finance companies, avoiding direct holdings of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin to mitigate risks. The program will be overseen by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), Kazakhstan's fintech hub, and could attract foreign investment partners.
This initiative builds on proposals from 2024 by the Agency for Financial Monitoring to consolidate confiscated crypto wallets and mined tokens into a national reserve. Officials aim to “repurpose illicitly obtained digital assets” for economic sovereignty, transforming compliance challenges into opportunities for growth and diversification. The model mirrors the U.S. crypto reserve established under a March 2025 executive order, which manages seized digital assets like bitcoin as a strategic stockpile without new taxpayer-funded purchases.
The fund supports President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's reforms to diversify beyond oil-dependent exports toward technology and innovation. It aligns with ambitions to position Kazakhstan as Central Asia's fintech leader, complementing projects like Alatau CryptoCity, a hub for blockchain startups and crypto payments.