Kazakhstan Launches Public Consultation for Its Proposed CBDC

The National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NBRK) is set to launch a public consultation for its proposed digital tenge currency, the nation’s official Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

As detailed by the NBRK, the development of the digital tenge will take a two-tier structure in which the apex bank will provide the infrastructure backing the CBDC rollout while the financial market participants will provide payment services.

The development of the digital tenge according to the NBRK will seek to serve as a complement to the fiat currency, and not as a replacement. 

“National digital currency is a promising form of funds that are the obligation of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and presented in digital form. The digital tenge will be a legal tender, a measure of value, and a store of value,” the bank said in its public announcement.

To make for a successful digital tenge, the NBRK has highlighted the need to consult relevant stakeholders by working together with financial market participants, the expert community, and international partners. The pilot test will be kickstarted with the study of the risks and benefits associated with the issuance of a digital tenge in the nation.

“To make a decision on the issue of the Digital Tenge, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study of the benefits and risks with the definition of the tasks solved by the digital currency, the method of its emission and distribution, the technology used, the impact on monetary policy, financial stability and the payment ecosystem,” the NBRK noted.

Kazakhstan has been a very bullish nation when it comes to digital currency innovations, adequately nurturing plans to attract as much as $738 million in crypto-based investments over the course of three years. The country also has a dedicated crypto mining engagement, for which it plans to invest $700 million.

The digital tenge project is a development that models similar efforts by other advanced economies including the United States, Britain, and China, to name a few. Kazakhstan has no set deadline on CBDC issuance.