BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 29. Mastercard is deepening its collaboration with Kazakhstan, focusing on digital transformation, tourism development, and cybersecurity, said Sanzhar Zhamalov, General Director of Mastercard in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, in an interview with Trend.
Zhamalov highlighted the company’s recent initiatives in the region, including signing a Digital Country Partnership (DCP) agreement in 2023. "We are actively working in several areas at once," he noted. "Mastercard supports GovTech by participating in reviews, sharing best practices, and organizing forums and workshops. Our expertise is highly valued in areas such as open banking and blockchain project development."
Mastercard is implementing advanced cybersecurity solutions in Kazakhstan, including the Risk Recon platform. “Global solutions like these are crucial for ensuring the security and stability of the country’s growing digital ecosystem,” said Zhamalov.
The company is also a key partner in promoting tourism. "We’ve provided Kazakh Tourism with access to the Mastercard Tourism Innovation Hub to create solutions for the industry and share expertise," Zhamalov explained. This year, Mastercard conducted two master classes with the Visit Almaty Bureau, leveraging data from the Mastercard Tourism Insights Platform.
"Almaty attracts interest from nearly 30% of those searching for tourist information about Central Asia. Around 20% of visitors to the city explore Shymbulak, a well-known ski resort. Insights like these help our partners develop strategies to attract tourists," he added.
Under the DCP program, Mastercard is expanding its consulting services in Kazakhstan. "We’ve established a regional advisory hub for the CIS and Eastern Europe in Almaty and significantly increased our team, tripling the number of consultants within a year," Zhamalov said.
"Mastercard fully supports Kazakhstan’s ambition to lead Central Asia in digitalization," Zhamalov emphasized. "Our focus is on fostering the digital economy and advancing fintech in the region".