BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 3. Kazakhstan plans to launch its unified QR payment system on July 19, 2026,
This was announced in a statement released by the National Bank of Kazakhstan following a meeting involving representatives of the National Bank, the Agency for Financial Market Regulation and Development, the management of second-tier banks, and representatives of the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan.
According to the National Bank, in the course of the meeting, the parties agreed to begin a phased expansion of the unified QR system starting July 7, ahead of its scheduled launch date.
''The parties reviewed the participation of second-tier banks in the Interbank Mobile Payment System and discussed the next steps in introducing mobile transfer and QR payment services.
The meeting also focused on cooperation between banks and digital asset market participants, the use of the digital tenge, and improvements to the framework governing banks' access to government information services,'' National Bank's statement says.
Following the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to continuing joint efforts to implement the planned initiatives.
According to Alatau City Bank, the unified QR system will be operated by the National Payment Corporation (NPC), a subsidiary of the National Bank that already manages the country's Interbank Mobile Payment System.
The unified QR system is designed as a single payment channel connecting different banking ecosystems. Rather than replacing existing banking products, it enables interoperability between banks. Unlike traditional card payments, which typically pass through international payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard before reaching the merchant's bank, the unified QR system will process transactions directly through the National Payment Corporation to the acquiring bank and merchant, reducing reliance on international payment networks and keeping payment processing within Kazakhstan.
