Kraken parent Payward announced on October 21, 2026, that it had received in-principle approval from the Astana Financial Services Authority for a proposed Kazakhstan operation. The approval concerns Payward Kazakhstan within the Astana International Financial Centre and envisages digital-asset trading, dealing in investments and custody. It is not final authorisation to serve customers immediately. Final licensing, a public launch announcement and details of eligible clients and products are still pending.
