Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan plans to launch a unified QR code this month. Its phased rollout will begin next week, citing the National Bank's press service.
The National Bank of Kazakhstan, together with the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market, held a meeting in Almaty with executives from second-tier banks and the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan.
The parties reviewed the participation status of second-tier banks in the interbank mobile payment system, as well as further steps for implementing mobile transfer services and QR payments.
"A decision was made to begin the phased scaling of the unified QR from July 7 of this year, with a full-scale launch set for July 19, 2026," the National Bank stated in a press release.
As a result, a unified QR code is set to launch in Kazakhstan on July 19, allowing customers to make purchases via their own bank's app regardless of which bank's QR code the merchant uses. The rollout process begins this Tuesday, July 7.
As previously reported, the unified standard will simplify payments for both consumers and businesses. However, the connection timelines for specific banks and service availability for their customers may vary.
As a reminder, at the end of last year, the National Bank planned for the unified QR code system to be fully operational by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
In 2025, Parliament passed the Law "On Banks and Banking Activities" along with accompanying amendments regarding the regulation and development of the financial market. The law provides for the introduction of a national digital financial infrastructure, including an interbank mobile payment system and a unified QR code.