Astana Financial Services Authority receives first regulatory fee payment in USD-pegged stablecoins under AIFC pilot

The Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) has received its first regulatory fee payment in a USD-pegged stablecoin, marking a milestone in a pilot that allows Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) participants and firms applying for authorisation or registration in the AIFC to pay AFSA regulatory fees using stablecoins. SkyBridge Digital Finance Ltd., an AFSA-licensed Digital Asset Service Provider and AIFC FinTech Lab participant, made the inaugural payment, with Bybit Limited facilitating the transaction in its role as a Provider. Launched during Astana Finance Days 2025, the framework allows verified providers to process stablecoin payments on behalf of payers and transfer the equivalent fiat amount to AFSA’s designated bank account. Eligible providers are AFSA-licensed Digital Asset Service Providers authorised to operate a Digital Asset Trading Facility or provide Money Services in relation to Digital Assets, and AFSA plans to publish the list of Providers on its website. The initiative applies only to AFSA regulatory fees within the AIFC and does not extend to taxes or other government payments in Kazakhstan, where the tenge remains the sole legal tender.