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e-Commerce

After Wildberries Drone Attacks, Kazakhstan Minister Urges Support for Local Marketplaces

Kazakhstan's Trade and Integration Minister Arman Shakkaliyev has encouraged consumers to shop on domestic online marketplaces, urging them not to base their purchases solely on the lowest prices offered by foreign platforms and invoking what he called “economic patriotism.” Speaking to reporters, Shakkaliyev advised consumers to use marketplaces they trust, saying that domestic platforms offered greater assurance that purchases would be delivered. He was responding to questions about the disruption affecting Wildberries after drone attacks on its Russian facilities. On August 2, Ukrainian drones struck a Wildberries warehouse in Novosemeykino, in the Samara region, causing a fire. The following day, Wildberries said a separate logistics facility in the Vladimir region had also caught fire following an attack. No casualties were initially reported at either site. Shakkaliyev's remarks come amid reports that Wildberries is seeking additional warehouse capacity in Kazakhstan. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the company is looking for approximately 100,000 square meters of warehouse space in Kazakhstan, although no single vacant facility of that size is currently available on the local market. The issue has also drawn attention in Moscow. Speaking on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Kazakhstan Media Forum, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said efforts to integrate Russian and Kazakhstan-based online marketplaces had begun well before the recent attacks on logistics infrastructure and were continuing. He noted that more than 100,000 suppliers from Kazakhstan were registered on the Russian marketplaces Wildberries and Ozon, another e-commerce giant. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Trade and Integration has previously stated that it has not yet received an official request from Wildberries to establish additional warehouse facilities in the country. The ministry said that any such proposal would be reviewed in accordance with Kazakhstan's legislation and national interests. It added that all market participants would be subject to the same rules, without special preferences or exemptions.

Marketplace

Kazakhstan Yet to Receive Wildberries Warehouse Request

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration has said it is prepared to consider a request from RWB, the company formed through the merger of online marketplace Wildberries and outdoor advertising operator Russ, to establish additional warehouse capacity in the country. The company’s reported interest comes amid continuing drone attacks on logistics infrastructure in Russia. The ministry said it has not yet received any formal request from Wildberries. Should one be submitted, it would be considered in accordance with Kazakhstan’s legislation and the country’s national interests. “To date, the Ministry of Trade and Integration has not received any official request from Wildberries regarding the placement of additional warehouse facilities in the Republic of Kazakhstan. If such proposals are submitted, they will be considered in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and with due regard for the country’s national interests,” the ministry said. The ministry added that it supports investment projects aimed at developing modern logistics infrastructure, creating jobs, and expanding cross-border e-commerce. It also stressed that all market participants are subject to the same rules under Kazakhstan’s legislation and the regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union, with no special preferences or exemptions. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, RWB began looking for warehouse space in Kazakhstan after a series of drone attacks on logistics facilities in Russia that began on July 18. The company is seeking approximately 100,000 square meters of warehouse space, although market participants say there is currently no single vacant logistics complex of that size in Kazakhstan. The expansion of logistics infrastructure has become a priority as Kazakhstan’s online retail market grows. The Ministry of Trade and Integration says the sector is now more than seven times larger than five years ago, surpassing $6.1 billion and accounting for 14.1% of retail turnover. By 2030, the government wants online sales to account for 20% of the domestic retail market.

e-Commerce

Wildberries Kazakhstan Sellers Count Losses After Ukraine Strikes

Over the past month, Ukrainian forces have carried out a series of strikes on the facilities of Russia's largest online marketplace, Wildberries. As with previous attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, including that of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the consequences are again being felt by citizens and businesses in neighboring countries, highlighting the extent to which the war's economic effects now extend far beyond the battlefield. Since July 18, Ukrainian strikes have hit Wildberries logistics facilities in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Crimea, as well as in Tver and Tambov Oblasts. According to the Russian business daily Kommersant, the attacks damaged logistics facilities representing more than 10% of Wildberries’ total warehouse floor space, with a combined area exceeding 550,000 square meters. Alongside Wildberries, another major Russian marketplace, Ozon, also operates in Kazakhstan. Its logistics network has so far not been affected by similar attacks. Together, the two companies account for more than 85% of Kazakhstan’s cross-border online marketplace segment, according to data presented in June by Mazhilis deputy Aituar Koshmambetov during parliamentary discussions on the development of e-commerce. E-commerce has become one of Kazakhstan’s fastest-growing sectors, expanding roughly fivefold since 2020. The market was valued at $6.7 billion in 2025, and the government aims to increase that figure to $19.5 billion by 2029. Against that backdrop, Kazakh sellers were always likely to be affected sooner or later. On Tuesday, Kazakhstan’s National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Atameken, said it had begun collecting information on Kazakh businesses affected by the attacks on Wildberries facilities in Russia. According to preliminary estimates by the Ecommerce-KZ Association, more than 100 member companies suffered losses as a result of fires at the marketplace’s logistics centers. Their combined losses exceed $2.1 million. Following an request from Atameken to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, the ministry has approached Russian authorities and the Wildberries for further information. For neighboring Kyrgyzstan, the situation surrounding Wildberries has proved even more painful. Compensation for lost goods is now being discussed at the level of the country’s economy minister, who is negotiating with the marketplace’s management. Much of Kyrgyzstan’s garment industry and trading sector now depend on Wildberries. According to the country’s association of garment manufacturers, individual producers have suffered losses ranging from 1 million to 100 million Kyrgyz soms, or approximately $11,400 to $1.14 million. While businesses in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan are counting their losses, Wildberries itself appears to be reconsidering its logistics strategy. According to a report in Kommersant, the company has begun searching for vacant warehouse space in Kazakhstan and is prepared to lease virtually all of the country’s available modern warehouse capacity. According to NF Group, only 5.8% of Kazakhstan's modern warehouse space was vacant at the end of 2025. Stanislav Akhmedzyanov, managing partner at IBC Global, said the Kazakh market has no single warehouse facility of 100,000 square meters, which is reportedly the amount of space Wildberries requires. As of the end of June 2026, only 130,000 square meters of warehouse space remained available across the country, scattered...

Shadow Economy

Kazakhstan Targets Further Reduction in Shadow Economy With AI-Driven Monitoring

Kazakhstan’s government has approved a 2026–2028 Action Plan to reduce the shadow economy through greater use of artificial intelligence and the digital tenge. The plan also calls for further digitalization in sectors most vulnerable to informal economic activity. The government hopes that the measures will reduce the shadow economy's share of GDP from 16.7% in 2025 to 13.8% by 2028, a decline of nearly three percentage points over the next three years. According to the Prime Minister's Office, Kazakhstan has already modernized 20 government information systems in recent years, dismantled the financial infrastructure supporting illegal online casinos with a turnover of approximately $4.2 billion, and prevented unjustified public spending totaling around $765 million. Officials said these efforts helped reduce the shadow economy’s estimated share of GDP from 24% in 2019 to 16.7% in 2025. "The main objective of the Action Plan is to reduce the shadow economy, ensure fair competition, increase business transparency, and boost budget revenues without imposing new obligations on entrepreneurs," the government said. A unified AI-powered monitoring platform will be central to the strategy. The system will combine data from government agencies to identify signs of hidden economic activity and flag risks in real time. Officials say this will help prevent violations before they cause budget losses. The plan contains 53 measures focused on improving economic transparency and accelerating digitalization in sectors with elevated risks of informal activity. The government has identified trade, construction, transport, agriculture, healthcare, and education as priority sectors for the new system. Retail trade will be another focus. The government plans to continue developing the Digital Bazaar, an electronic platform launched in late 2024 to bring Kazakhstan’s traditional markets and trading venues online. More products will be added to the mandatory digital-labeling system, while the National Product Catalogue will be extended. These measures are intended to make supply chains more transparent and curb counterfeit goods. They are also expected to create fairer conditions for businesses. Controls over excise goods and socially important products will be further automated. The government also plans tighter oversight of e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces, along with closer integration of state information systems. In the social sector, digital tools will be used to monitor the quality of services and track prices. They will also help authorities oversee public spending. The government plans to increase the use of the digital tenge, Kazakhstan’s central bank digital currency. It is already being used in selected government programs to improve the traceability of public funds. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the digital tenge officially became a legally recognized form of Kazakhstan's national currency on July 18, providing the legal foundation for its broader use in government payments and public finance.

QR Payments

Kyrgyzstan Connects to International Alipay+ QR Payment Network

Kyrgyzstan has launched international QR payments through Alipay+, allowing users of the national Elkart payment system to pay for purchases abroad through a mobile app without relying on cash or foreign payment apps. The launch of the project was announced by the Interbank Processing Center, operator of the national payment system Elkart, with support from the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan. According to the payment operator, the system is already functioning in Kazakhstan and Malaysia, while another 57 countries are expected to join the network within the next month. China is also scheduled to connect to the platform on June 15, enabling Kyrgyz users to pay through a unified QR infrastructure at millions of retail locations. “For Kyrgyzstan, this is a historic event and another important step in the development of the country’s digital financial ecosystem,” Elkart said in a statement. National Bank Chairman Almaz Baketaev described the launch of international QR payments as part of a national strategy to digitalize the financial market. “The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan places special emphasis on implementing modern digital solutions that simplify the integration of our financial system into the global space,” Baketaev said during a press conference in Bishkek. Authorities and market participants expect the new system to simplify payments for tourists, labor migrants, and businesses amid Kyrgyzstan’s expanding economic ties with China and other Asian countries. Integration of the payment systems began in September last year. Representatives of the processing center said the technical integration was completed in a relatively short period of time. Over the past five years, Kyrgyzstan has actively developed its digital financial infrastructure. According to the National Bank, more than 114,000 QR codes have already been installed at retail and service businesses across the country. In 2025, approximately 525 million transactions worth around $10.3 billion were processed through the national system, roughly ten times higher in transaction volume than the previous year.

e-Commerce

Almaty Hosts Ranking Business Day Discussion on Whether E-Commerce Could Become Kazakhstan’s “New Oil”

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....