Kraken parent Payward said in an October 22 announcement that Kazakhstan’s Astana Financial Services Authority had granted in-principle approval to license Payward Kazakhstan in the Astana International Financial Centre. The proposed permissions cover a digital asset trading facility, dealing in investments as principal and agent, and digital asset custody.
Payward said Kazakh traders would gain access to its global order books, but gave no date for a local launch. In-principle approval is not a final license: applicants must meet further conditions before licensing, and Payward did not disclose the specific conditions attached to its approval. The announcement does not establish that the planned services are available or that the permissions extend beyond the AIFC.
