On February 26, Almaty hosted the first Ranking Business Day, an expert discussion in an open-talk format dedicated to the development of e-commerce in Kazakhstan. The event was organized by the analytical platform Ranking.kz and the communications agency 2BAgency.
The central question of the meeting was whether e-commerce could become a new driver of economic growth in Kazakhstan.
Sedred Asretov, CEO of Ranking.kz, presented the results of a study on the country’s e-commerce market.
According to the data, the volume of retail e-commerce in Kazakhstan reached $6.4 billion in 2024, an increase of 29% compared with the previous year.
“E-commerce today is not just a new sales channel. It is a full-fledged ecosystem that combines payments, logistics, marketing, and services,” Asretov said.
He emphasized that more than 90% of sales on marketplaces come from small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), making e-commerce an important tool for supporting entrepreneurs across the country.
Small and medium-sized businesses currently account for about 40% of Kazakhstan’s GDP and 70% of investment in fixed capital.
Marketplaces have become a key sales channel for SMBs, allowing companies to reach broad audiences without major spending on IT infrastructure, marketing, or logistics. This is particularly important for entrepreneurs in regional areas where traditional sales channels are limited.
At the same time, electronic trading platforms make a significant contribution to the state budget.
According to the study, Kaspi.kz ranked first in tax payments, contributing approximately $276 million in 2025, a 3.5% increase from the previous year. Wildberries ranked second with $116 million in tax payments, followed by Ozon with approximately $30 million.
During two discussion sessions, experts and representatives of government agencies, the banking sector, and major e-commerce companies discussed key market challenges.
Among the main issues raised were:
- unequal competition between local and foreign platforms;
- the growing influence of foreign marketplaces;
- the need for systematic regulation of the industry.
Particular attention was given to discussion of a new consumer protection law. Deputy Azat Peruashev of Kazakhstan’s lower house of parliament, the Mazhilis, said lawmakers had proposed requiring foreign marketplaces not only to pay VAT but also to cooperate with Kazakhstani manufacturers.
“We approached the Ministry of Trade and Integration with a proposal to oblige foreign marketplaces to cooperate with Kazakhstani manufacturers. However, we were told that such conditions cannot be imposed. But this is a negotiation process, and the state should take a stronger position,” he said.
Experts also discussed potential future changes in the market.
Damir Meyrambekov, managing director for e-commerce at Kazpost, said a new trading platform created in partnership with one of the largest Chinese marketplaces may appear in Kazakhstan in the near future.
Evgenia Savenkova-Petrichenko, head of the Wildberries commerce department in Kazakhstan, also commented on reports that the company may purchase a Kazakh financial organization. She did not deny the possibility but said it was too early to make any official statements.
The organizers said they intend to make Ranking Business Day a regular platform for discussing key issues related to the digital economy.
Several leading business and technology publications, including The Times of Central Asia, Kursiv.Media, Tengrinews, and Profit.kz, served as information partners for the event.
Amid the rapid expansion of online retail, experts agreed that e-commerce has already become one of the key growth sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy and that its role is likely to increase in the coming years.
