Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with David Ripley, co-CEO of international crypto platform Kraken, on the sidelines of the AI & Digital Bridge 2026 international forum.
They discussed the development of the digital assets market, the introduction of financial technologies, improvements to regulation and the use of international experience in Kazakhstan’s digital economy.
Following the meeting, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and Kraken signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at developing the digital assets market and introducing blockchain technologies in the country.
Kraken also received In-Principle Approval from the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), the regulator of the Astana International Financial Centre. The approval is a key stage in the licensing process; the company may begin operating in the AIFC’s regulated jurisdiction after meeting the relevant requirements.
The memorandum covers cooperation on digital asset regulation, the development of digital finance, integration of traditional banking infrastructure with the digital assets market, blockchain technologies, educational initiatives and financial literacy.
Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Gizzat Baitursynov, said the memorandum would provide opportunities to share international experience, develop blockchain technologies and strengthen Kazakhstan’s position as a regional crypto hub. David Ripley, co-CEO of Payward, Kraken’s parent company, described AFSA’s preliminary approval as an important step towards entering the Kazakh market.
Founded in the United States in 2011, Kraken provides retail and institutional clients with services for buying, selling, storing and trading digital assets.
