What Drives Kazakhstan’s Threefold Growth in High-Tech Exports

Kazakhstan has sharply increased its presence in the global market for high-tech goods in recent years. According to analysts at Finprom.kz, the country’s high-tech exports nearly tripled, rising from $2.5 billion in 2021 to $7.3 billion in 2024. Geography and Growth Dynamics This surge was driven less by a physical increase in exports, up 9.7%, and more by rising global prices and the growth of re-exports. Since 2022, amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, Kazakhstan has emerged as a key player in re-export chains for complex technical equipment. The Bureau of National Statistics reports that nearly 77% of high-tech export value in 2024 ($5.6 billion) was attributed to companies registered in Astana and Almaty. However, this reflects business registration patterns rather than actual production. For example, a Kazakh-Chinese joint venture in Ust-Kamenogorsk manufactures fuel assemblies for nuclear reactors, yet its exports are registered as originating from Almaty. Uranium: The Strategic Core Uranium and its compounds remain Kazakhstan’s dominant high-tech export, comprising 62.7% of the total in 2024, or $4.6 billion. Over the past three years, the value of uranium exports rose 2.6 times, while the physical volume increased by just 16.7%. The key driver was a sharp spike in global uranium prices: in the first half of 2024 alone, the spot price rose by 73%, while long-term contract prices also trended upward. Aviation and Leasing Structures Aircraft ranked second in terms of profitability. In 2024, exports of airplanes and helicopters exceeded $940 million, 30 times higher than in 2021. Ireland was the largest reported buyer. However, this spike reflects aviation leasing arrangements rather than direct aircraft sales. As noted in a document submitted by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov to the Mazhilis, Kazakhstan's parliament, Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana operates aircraft registered in Ireland, leading to leasing-related flows being counted as exports. Smartphones, Electronics, and Digital Equipment Smartphones emerged as a fast-growing category, with exports increasing 54-fold to $433 million. Key markets included Central Asian neighbors, Mongolia, and the Czech Republic. Much of the growth occurred in 2022, driven by shifting supply chains amid international sanctions. While the volume of exported computers and digital equipment rose, their total value declined. Notably, exports of digital data processing units fell from $136.6 million in 2021 to $11.6 million in 2024. This discrepancy highlights the predominance of re-exports. In 2024, Kazakhstan produced just 33,000 computing units but exported 744,100. Similarly, it manufactured 7,500 electromechanical devices while exporting nearly 200,000. Broader Export Structure According to QazTrade, the share of high value-added products in Kazakhstan’s exports reached 13.5% or $11.1 billion in 2024, marking a 16.1% year-on-year increase. However, the country’s export structure remains resource-heavy: raw materials account for 63.3% of total exports, followed by low value-added goods at 15.5%, with high-tech processed goods in third place.

Kazakhstan Limits Duty-Free Smartphone Imports to Two Per Person Annually

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Finance plans to amend regulations governing the volume of goods citizens may import for personal use without paying customs duties. According to a draft order published on the Open NPAs (Normative Legal Acts) website, individuals will be allowed to bring in no more than two new smartphones and two new tablets per year, duty-free, from outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The proposed changes, open for public discussion until April 22, also cap duty-free imports at one new laptop, one new bicycle, one baby stroller, and one car per person annually. All restrictions apply exclusively to newly manufactured goods in factory packaging. Used versions of these items, except for cars, will not be subject to quantity limits. Additionally, individuals may import up to five pieces of jewelry and one item of fur clothing (including headwear) per year, provided each item differs by name, size, or style. These restrictions are part of a broader effort by authorities to curb the illegal import and resale of consumer goods, especially smartphones. As The Times of Central Asia reported earlier this year, Kazakhstan intensified efforts in March to clamp down on the smuggling of smartphones into the domestic market. The new limits on personal-use imports are a key part of this crackdown. However, questions remain as to why the regulations do not cover used smartphones, which are also commonly trafficked through unofficial channels.