When Kazakhstan opened its doors to crypto mining, it didn’t just welcome miners - it built a cage around them. Unlike places where mining is either banned or left completely unregulated, Kazakhstan created a system that lets you mine, but only if you play by their rules. And those rules? They’re strict, detailed, and changing fast. By 2026, if you’re thinking about setting up a mining operation here, you need to understand what’s required - not just to get started, but to stay legal.
Who Can Apply for a Crypto Mining License in Kazakhstan?
You can’t just show up with a rack of ASICs and start mining. The law says you must be a Kazakhstan legal entity or an individual entrepreneur registered under Kazakh law. Foreign companies can’t apply directly. If you’re based outside Kazakhstan, you need to set up a subsidiary - a local company - inside the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC). This isn’t a loophole. It’s the only path.
The AIFC isn’t just another financial zone. It’s the sole licensing authority for crypto mining in Kazakhstan. No other government body can issue these licenses. That means everything - from your paperwork to your compliance checks - flows through AIFC. You’ll need to rent office space in Astana, hire local staff, and open a corporate bank account in Kazakhstan. No remote applications. No shortcuts.
The Three-Phase Licensing Process
Getting licensed isn’t a form you fill out online. It’s a multi-month project with three clear phases, each with its own hurdles.
- Preparation Phase - This is where most applicants get stuck. You need to submit a full business plan with financial projections backed by real data. You must prove you have a plan for anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT). That includes KYC software, client onboarding rules, and risk assessment protocols. You also have to name your management team - including a CEO, CFO, AML officer, and compliance officer - and prove they’ve got the experience to run this.
- Incorporation Phase - Now you actually create your company. You register it in the AIFC, sign a lease for office space inside the center, and hire at least two local employees: one as your AML officer, one as your compliance officer. You must deposit minimum share capital into a Kazakh bank account. The amount isn’t publicly listed, but industry sources say it’s in the range of $100,000-$250,000 depending on scale. You also need to appoint a management board with at least four members.
- Application Phase - This is your final test. You must demonstrate that your AML-CFT systems are live and working. You need to show how you onboard clients, how you assess risk, and how you monitor transactions. You’ll be asked to walk through your platform - sometimes even demo it live. The AIFC doesn’t just want to see documents. They want to see that you can run this operation without breaking the law.
The whole process takes 6 to 9 months. That’s not a typo. If you’re hoping to get up and running in 30 days, you’re in the wrong country.
Must Use a Digital Mining Pool (DMP)
This is one of the most unusual rules in the world. In most countries, miners can operate solo or join any pool they want. In Kazakhstan, you’re forced to join a licensed Digital Mining Pool (DMP).
As of 2026, only five DMPs are approved by the AIFC. These aren’t just software platforms - they’re regulated entities with their own compliance obligations. You can’t mine without being connected to one. The government uses these pools to track every hash rate, every payout, every transaction. It’s a centralized control system disguised as an industry standard.
Why? Because it gives the state visibility. If you’re mining alone, they can’t see what you’re doing. If you’re in a licensed pool, they can. And they’re watching.
75% of Your Mined Crypto Must Be Sold on AIFC Exchanges
In 2024, miners had to sell half their output on domestic exchanges. In 2025, that jumped to 75%. By 2026, there’s no sign of it going back down. This rule is the backbone of Kazakhstan’s economic strategy.
Every Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other coin you mine? You have to sell 75% of it through AIFC-regulated exchanges. You can’t send it straight to Binance or Coinbase. You can’t hold it in a wallet overseas. You have to convert it into fiat - and that fiat flows into Kazakhstan’s banking system.
This isn’t just about taxes. It’s about currency control. The government wants to capture foreign currency inflows. They want to know how much crypto is being converted, who’s doing it, and where the money goes. It’s one of the strictest capital flow regulations in the crypto world.
What You Can’t Do
Kazakhstan doesn’t just regulate mining - it isolates it. The law says you can’t do anything else. If you’re licensed as a crypto miner, you’re not allowed to run a trading desk, offer wallet services, or launch a blockchain startup. You can’t even sell mining hardware as a side business.
This isn’t about fairness. It’s about control. The government wants mining to be a clean, transparent, energy-consuming activity - not a gateway for money laundering, tax evasion, or unregulated financial services. If you want to do anything beyond mining, you need a second license - and a second legal entity.
Tax Rate and Economic Impact
The good news? The tax rate is 15%. That’s lower than the U.S. federal rate for corporations and competitive with Canada or Iceland. The bad news? You’re not getting any tax breaks. You pay 15% on net profits - no deductions for electricity, equipment, or cooling.
Since the system launched, the government has issued 84 licenses. Five digital mining pools are operating. Over 415,000 mining machines are registered. In 2024 alone, AIFC exchanges handled over $1.4 billion in crypto sales. The mining sector contributed $34.6 million in direct revenue over three years - not huge globally, but massive for a country that banned mining just five years ago.
And here’s the real story: Kazakhstan is using mining to fix its power grid. Officials are talking about a 70/30 energy deal - 70% of new thermal power capacity goes to the national grid, 30% to miners. Foreign investors fund the upgrades. Miners get cheap power. The country gets stable electricity. It’s a win-win - if you’re willing to play by their rules.
How This Compares to Other Countries
Compare Kazakhstan to the U.S. In Texas, you can buy land, plug in your rigs, and start mining tomorrow. No license. No reporting. Just pay your electricity bill. In Germany? You need to register as a business, but no special crypto permit. In Russia? Mining is technically legal but under heavy scrutiny. In China? Banned outright since 2021.
Kazakhstan sits in the middle. It’s not open. It’s not closed. It’s controlled. The mandatory DMP, the 75% sale rule, the AIFC monopoly - none of this exists anywhere else. Even the U.S. states with the strictest rules, like New York, don’t force miners into centralized pools or require them to sell most of their output domestically.
Challenges for Foreign Miners
If you’re coming from the U.S., Canada, or Europe, you’ll hit walls.
- Physical presence required - You can’t manage this remotely. Someone has to live in Astana, manage the office, handle compliance.
- Local staff - Hiring AML and compliance officers isn’t optional. These roles require Kazakh certification and local experience. You can’t just hire a foreigner.
- Documentation overload - Business plans need to be detailed, financial models need to be realistic, and operational demos need to be flawless. Many applicants fail because their projections don’t match reality.
- Time delay - Nine months is the norm. If you’re trying to scale quickly, this timeline will kill your momentum.
There’s no way around it. If you want to mine in Kazakhstan, you’re committing to a long-term, high-compliance operation - not a quick cash grab.
What’s Next for Kazakhstan’s Crypto Mining?
The government isn’t done. There are rumors of a state-run crypto reserve - a sovereign fund that would hold mined assets as a form of national wealth. There’s talk of creating a national digital currency backed by mining output. And regulatory experts expect more tightening: higher reporting thresholds, stricter AML checks, and possibly even mandatory audits.
One thing is clear: Kazakhstan isn’t trying to be the next Bitcoin haven. It’s trying to be the next regulated crypto hub - one where mining isn’t just allowed, but tightly woven into the national economy. If you’re here, you’re not just mining. You’re helping build a new financial system.
Do I need to be physically present in Kazakhstan to get a mining license?
Yes. You must establish a legal entity within the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC). This requires renting office space in Astana, hiring at least two local employees (an AML officer and a compliance officer), and having a management board with four members who are physically present in Kazakhstan. Remote applications are not accepted.
Can I mine without joining a Digital Mining Pool (DMP)?
No. All licensed miners in Kazakhstan must operate through one of the five AIFC-approved Digital Mining Pools (DMPs). Independent mining is illegal. The DMP acts as a regulatory checkpoint, tracking all mining activity and ensuring compliance with AML-CFT rules.
What happens if I don’t sell 75% of my mined crypto on AIFC exchanges?
Failure to comply with the 75% sale requirement triggers regulatory penalties, including fines, suspension of your license, or outright revocation. The AIFC monitors all transactions through the licensed DMPs and cross-checks them with exchange records. Any attempt to transfer mined assets directly to foreign exchanges is flagged as a violation.
Can I use my existing company from another country to apply for a license?
No. Foreign companies cannot apply directly. You must create a new legal entity registered within the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC). Your existing company can be the parent entity, but the licensed miner must be a Kazakhstan-based subsidiary with local governance, staff, and bank accounts.
Is there a minimum capital requirement to get a license?
While the exact amount isn’t published, industry sources indicate that applicants must deposit between $100,000 and $250,000 in share capital into a Kazakh corporate bank account. The amount depends on the scale of the mining operation and the projected energy consumption. Smaller operations may be approved with lower capital, but undercapitalization is a common reason for application rejection.
Are there any tax incentives for crypto miners in Kazakhstan?
No. The corporate tax rate for crypto mining is fixed at 15% on net profits. There are no deductions for equipment, electricity, cooling, or maintenance. While this rate is competitive internationally, there are no special incentives, grants, or rebates offered by the government for miners.
Final Thoughts
Kazakhstan’s crypto mining system isn’t designed to attract hobbyists or small-scale operators. It’s built for institutional players who can handle complexity, compliance, and long-term commitment. If you’re looking for a quick, low-regulation mining spot, look elsewhere. But if you’re ready to build something stable, transparent, and tied to a national economic strategy - then Kazakhstan might be one of the few places left in the world that lets you do it legally.
