Kazakhstan Court Bans Six Crypto Platforms

The AIFC Court in Kazakhstan on September 15, 2026, banned six unlicensed crypto platforms from providing, offering, and advertising digital asset services within the center. The ruling hit several well-known venues. Among them were Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global, BitMart, Coinbase, and WEEX.

This is not a formality. For traders and the platforms themselves in the AIFC, the signal is clear: they will not be allowed to operate in this zone without a license. Later, on September 18, 2026, the court separately removed LBank from the list of defendants after the operator itself blocked access to services in Kazakhstan.

Why is this decision important for the Kazakhstan market?

AFSA has been running this campaign for more than a month. The regulator had already sent written warnings to more than 20 platforms back in 2025. After that, 9 platforms voluntarily restricted their apps in Google Play and the App Store for Kazakhstan, and another 7 announced plans to obtain an AFSA license.

In other words, the court decision did not come out of nowhere. It fits into a broader cleanup of the market from services operating without permission. And this matters not only for local users. Kazakhstan is gradually building a regime in which access to crypto services depends on the platform’s status, not just its popularity. That is why this story echoes the news about crypto tax payments in Latvia, where the state is also setting clear rules for digital assets.

According to AFSA, in 2025 there were 9 Digital Asset Service Providers operating under full regulation in the AIFC, while another 19 operated in the FinTech Lab. The total transaction volume reached $10.58 billion, and the client base was about 215,000 users.

Market reaction

In this case, the important part is not only the names of the platforms. The scale matters too. When the regulator puts pressure on six major brands at once, the market gets a very simple signal: access to the Kazakh audience now goes through a license, not marketing.

This is especially noticeable against the backdrop of the rules already in force. Since May 1, 2026, Kazakhstan has had a broader digital asset regulatory regime in place. The National Bank licenses operators of exchange of unsecured digital assets and registers platforms outside the AIFC’s jurisdiction. The AIFC itself maintains a separate legal regime. For businesses, this means more bureaucracy, but also more predictability.

It is also notable that the AFSA register already includes active licenses for several major operators. Among them are Delta DA Ltd. with a license dated 13.07.2021, as well as BN KZ Technologies Limited / Binance Kazakhstan with active licenses dated 25.09.2024. There is also ATAIX Eurasia Ltd., which received a license on 15.10.2025.

• On September 15, 2026, the court issued the main ban.

• Six platforms were affected by the restrictions.

• On September 18, 2026, LBank was removed from the list of defendants.

• AFSA had warned more than 20 platforms back in 2025.

• 9 platforms voluntarily restricted their apps.

• 7 platforms announced plans to obtain a license.

What does this mean for investors?

For users, the main takeaway is simple: in Kazakhstan, it is increasingly important to check whether a platform has permission in the jurisdiction where you operate. If not, access may be restricted without long warnings. This applies not only to trading, but also to advertising and other digital asset services.

For the market as a whole, this looks like a filter. Anyone who wants to operate legally must go through an expensive and complicated process. The cost of entering the regulated AIFC regime is also not symbolic: the one-time authorization fee for a Digital Asset Trading Facility operator is $98,000, the annual fixed supervision fee is another $30,000, and the minimum capital must be at least $200,000 or the equivalent of 12 months of working capital.

In practice, this narrows the field for casual players. But for serious operators, it opens access to clear rules. And this is no longer about loud names, but about the right to operate in a large market.

Frequently asked questions

Which crypto platforms did the AIFC Court ban?

The ruling names Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global, BitMart, Coinbase, and WEEX. The court banned them from providing, offering, and advertising digital asset services within the AIFC without a license.

Why was LBank later removed from the case?

According to AFSA, on September 18, 2026, the court changed its decision after the operator itself blocked access to services in Kazakhstan. After that, LBank was removed from the list of defendants.

What changed for Kazakhstan’s crypto market in 2026?

Since May 1, 2026, the country has had a broader digital asset regulatory regime in place. The National Bank and the AIFC operate under different legal frameworks, so platforms must separately consider the requirements of each.

For those who already hold crypto and want to quickly convert it into hryvnia, a convenient option may be to sell Bitcoin on Monobank without unnecessary delays and with a transparent exchange rate.

This material is not financial advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks. Part of this text was prepared with the help of artificial intelligence based on public sources and reviewed by our editorial team.