What Matters for Business

1. The planned 86,500 tenge security deposit for reserving a truck queue slot at the Uzbekistan border did NOT take effect November 9. Turkistan Region's State Revenue Department postponed the launch on November 2 without setting a new date. The change affects carriers using the Kazygurt, B. Konysbayev, and Atameken border crossings.
2. Starting November 10, the new threshold for monitoring mobile transfers is 1.557 million tenge over three months AND transfers from at least 100 different senders in each of those months. The rule affects people who accept payments through personal bank accounts.
3. Beginning November 17, the voluntary "One-click calculation" pilot will automatically calculate payroll taxes and contributions. Exemption from filing form 200.00 applies only to obligations processed through the service; employers must review and confirm the calculations.
4. Starting November 22, Kazakhstan will begin a new six-month ban on gasoline and diesel exports, including to EAEU countries, running through May 22, 2027. The restrictions affect fuel exporters and carriers.
5. Officials are considering merging Kazakh Invest with Baiterek, linking investor support with potential co-investment. No timetable or transition arrangements have been announced.
6. The ARDFM and National Bank have approved development programs through 2030, envisioning private management of up to 20%–30% of pension assets, incentives for IPOs, and mandatory natural-disaster insurance for homes. These are policy frameworks; detailed rules and effective dates will require separate legal acts.
7. Barley exports to Iran plunged 35-fold in September, while Iran opened a 4.5 million-metric-ton duty-free quota for EAEU countries. The developments matter to grain traders.
8. Tengiz oil production fell 13% over nine months while profit doubled. To meet Kazakhstan's annual production target of 96 million metric tons, average monthly output in the fourth quarter would need to exceed the January–September average by roughly 15%.