Kazakhstan nearly caught up with the world's top digital economies in cashless payments, a new study finds, Qazinform News Agency reports. According to the annual national study Fintech in Kazakhstan 2026, cash accounts for about 12% of total consumer payments in Kazakhstan.
For comparison, the figure is estimated at 11% in the United States, 10% in the United Kingdom, 7% in South Korea, 5% each in China and Sweden, and 4% in Norway. In Brazil, cash is used even more than in Kazakhstan — 17%. The study's authors highlight that Kazakhstan has the strongest domestic base for fintech development in Central Asia, given the scale of its economy, high urbanization, and young population.
For instance, the share of internet users among Kazakhstanis aged 16 to 74 grew from 84% in 2019 to 96% in 2025. In 2025, smartphone ownership reached 94%, up from 88% in 2019. The digital literacy rate rose from 77% to 93% over the same period. Mobile internet speeds have also increased significantly.
Median mobile download speed rose from 21 Mbps in 2019 to 88 Mbps in 2026. Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan was placed 38th in the Global Competitiveness Ranking.