Kazakhstan introduces fines for using someone else’s EDS

Tengrinews.kz – In Kazakhstan, penalties have been introduced for using someone else’s electronic digital signature (EDS).

By law, an EDS in Kazakhstan is equivalent to the handwritten signature of its owner. Since 2016, the country has imposed penalties for the illegal transfer of a private EDS key to other people (fines ranging from 40,000 to 590,000 tenge). Starting from March 2025, liability has also been introduced for using another person’s EDS.

The following fines apply for using someone else’s private EDS key:

• Individuals – 50 MCI (196,600 tenge in 2025);
• Officials, small businesses, or non-profit organizations – 100 MCI (393,200 tenge);
• Medium-sized businesses – 150 MCI (589,800 tenge);
• Large businesses – 200 MCI (786,400 tenge).

According to the Ministry of Digital Development, individuals, legal entities, and private entrepreneurs must properly prepare and sign reports, contracts, and other electronic documents, as well as use the EDS for authorization, access to personal data, and other actions.

“Since March 13, 2025, for using another person’s private EDS key, the Committee for Information Security has initiated one administrative case against an individual,” the ministry said in its response to an official Tengrinews.kz inquiry.

In 2024, 10 officials were held administratively liable for violating the law on electronic documents and EDS. Since the beginning of 2025, five officials and two individuals have been penalized. The ministry did not specify which exact rules they had breached.

It should be noted that it is prohibited to use someone else’s EDS even with the owner’s consent. This measure is intended to minimize cases where fraudsters use another person’s signature.