Opening of bank accounts: changes effective from 11 January 2026

14.01.2026

By Resolution of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 31 December 2025, amendments have been introduced to the Rules for the opening, maintenance and closure of clients’ bank accounts, as well as to the Rules governing non-cash payments and money transfers within the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The amendments enter into force on 11 January 2026.

In particular, the requirements for opening a bank account by an individual have been clarified. The client is now required to submit an application confirming that no transactions related to entrepreneurial activity, activity carried out under the special tax regime for self-employed persons, notarial or адвокатская activity, activity related to the enforcement of executive documents, as well as activity in dispute resolution through mediation, will be conducted via the account being opened, unless otherwise expressly provided for in the bank servicing agreement with the bank.

Additionally, it has been established that, for the opening of a current account, the client must submit to the bank an authorisation issued by the central authorised body for budget execution, in accordance with the procedures for treasury execution of the budget, treasury accounting and monitoring.

The procedure for opening accounts by individuals for activities carried out under the special tax regime for self-employed persons has been regulated separately. In such cases, the client (a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan or a kandas) submits an identity document, as well as an application to open an account for a self-employed person applying the special tax regime in accordance with Chapter 77 of the Tax Code.

In addition, the Rules governing non-cash payments have been supplemented with provisions on grant funding for projects aimed at the commercialisation of results of scientific and scientific-technical activities. It has been established that a payment from a current account operating as an escrow account, opened in the name of the grant recipient, is made to the bank account of the counterparty on the basis of an agreement between the parties.

Conclusions based on the amendments:

• a clearer distinction is being reinforced between personal bank accounts of individuals and accounts used for entrepreneurial, professional and other specific activities;
• the role of client declarations regarding the intended use of accounts is increasing, and such declarations may be taken into account by banks when monitoring transactions;
• a more detailed procedure is being introduced for opening accounts for self-employed persons and for making payments within the framework of grant funding;
• the level of formalisation and transparency of banking operations is increasing.

Recommendations:

• individuals should determine in advance the purpose of using a bank account and select the appropriate servicing regime;
• self-employed persons should ensure that a separate account is opened in compliance with the requirements of Chapter 77 of the Tax Code;
• participants in grant-funded projects should review the contractual framework with counterparties and verify the proper use of escrow accounts;
• existing bank servicing agreements should be reviewed for compliance with the updated requirements.

How the REVERA Kazakhstan team can help

Our team provides comprehensive support in opening bank accounts with Kazakhstani banks, taking into account the updated requirements of the National Bank, including analysis of the intended use of the account and mitigation of risks of refusal or restriction of transactions.

We prepare the required applications, explanatory notes and a full set of documents for banks, and also advise on the selection of the optimal account usage regime — personal, self-employed or entrepreneurial.

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Author: Alisher Kisamenov.