Kazakhstan and four countries plan to link QR payment systems by end-2026

The central banks of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to develop a mechanism for integrating their national QR payment systems by the end of 2026. The arrangement will allow citizens to pay for purchases abroad through their familiar banking apps, according to Qazinform News Agency, citing a statement from the National Bank of Kazakhstan.

The agreement was reached at the fourth regional meeting of central bank representatives from the five countries, held in Tajikistan on October 22-23. Participants discussed national payment platforms, instant payment systems, cashless transactions and remote customer identification. The Kazakh delegation presented progress on the National Digital Financial Infrastructure, including the digital tenge, open banking, biometric identification platforms and the National Anti-Fraud Center.

The Interbank Mobile Payment System, which allows transfers by phone number and payments via QR codes, received special attention. Participants supported Kazakhstan's proposed approaches to integrating national QR payment systems. Discussions also covered cyberattack protection, fraud prevention and the use of artificial intelligence in payment supervision, while Kazakhstan proposed joint measures on information sharing and digital asset regulation.