Astana, Kazakhstan – Bybit Kazakhstan, the AFSA licensing division of Global Exchange Bybit, has submitted an application to participate in the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) Regulatory Sandbox.
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This prototype allows validated users to scan standard merchant QR codes, confirm purchases on the Bybit Kazakhstan app, and pay with digital assets. Behind the scenes, funds are converted to Tenge through local partners and settled.
For merchants, the process looks the same as existing QR payments. For regulators, they provide real-time audit-ready data to study how digital finance can operate safely under central bank surveillance.
The principles behind the pilot
Bybit Kazakhstan designed a pilot with three teaching priorities.
Security first: KYC/AML checks, risk management, auditing logs.
Seamless for users: Simple app interface, fast transactions.
Minimum merchant changes: Works with standard QR payment flows.
The goal is to balance user safety, merchant familiarity and regulatory clarity while generating actionable insights from NBK and the Kazakhstan National Payment Corporation.
Buildings not around regulators
Bybit Kazakhstan emphasizes the close connection between strong surveillance and thoughtful design. The sandbox environment allows central banks to monitor performance, ensure compliance and test protection measures before wider rollouts.
The first live demonstration will take place at Digital Bridge Astana on October 2-4, 2025, allowing stakeholders to witness real trading scenarios in a controlled environment. Participants can view both the technical architecture and compliance measurements that power the pilot.
Bibit’s wider mission
Globally, BYBIT ranks as the second largest crypto exchange by trading volumes, serving over 70 million users. The company is known for its focus on transparency, security and closing the gap between Tradfi and Defi.
Locally, BYBIT Kazakhstan is fully approved by the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) under license number AFSA-A-LA-2024-0027, which covers transactions, custody and investment activities related to digital assets.
