National Bank of Kazakhstan extends mortgage debt-ratio exemption to end-2029

Kazakhstan's National Bank has decided to extend the period during which the mandatory debt burden ratio (DTI) requirement is not applied to mortgage loans issued under the housing construction savings system. The exemption now runs until 31 December 2029, the central bank's press service said on 6 November 2026.

The DTI ratio measures a potential borrower's ability to pay and is calculated by dividing total monthly loan payments by average monthly income. Under the general rule for all banks, credit is not granted if monthly payments exceed half of a borrower's income. Mortgages within the housing savings system are exempt from this limit.

Other second-tier banks, besides Otbasy Bank, also take part in the system and can now lend under it regardless of the DTI ratio. The same extension applies to car loans. Participants typically make an initial contribution of 50 percent, which the source links to their long-term financial discipline.