Quick answer: In the Coinbase Kazakhstan case, AIFC regulator AFSA said on Oct. 20, 2026 that court injunctions bar Coinbase, BingX, Bitcoin.com, HTX, BitMart and WEEX from offering unlicensed crypto services or apps in the Astana International Financial Centre. The Sept. 15 order covers only the AIFC, not all of Kazakhstan.
The Coinbase Kazakhstan dispute has ended in a court order. On Oct. 20, 2026, the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) said the AIFC Court has barred Coinbase and five other exchanges from offering unlicensed crypto services inside the Astana International Financial Centre.
What happened in the Coinbase Kazakhstan case
AFSA is the regulator of the AIFC, a financial hub in Kazakhstan’s capital with its own courts and English-style common law. In its Oct. 20 release, it said the court granted its claims on Sept. 15, 2026.
The order names the operators of BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX. They may not provide, offer or market digital asset services in the AIFC, or to users located there, without a licence. In addition, they may not distribute mobile apps for those services.
LBank was on the original list. However, it blocked access to its services in Kazakhstan. As a result, the court removed it on Sept. 18. CoinDesk reported the same six names and noted that the platforms had not commented.
A default judgment, not a contested fight
First, none of the six exchanges defended the case. According to the judgment by Justice Sir Stephen Richards, AFSA filed its claim on Feb. 25, 2026. The court then allowed service by email to each platform’s public support address.
Meanwhile, several operators replied and agreed to stop. Because of that, AFSA dropped its claims against 12 operators in June and July, the judgment says. The rest failed to file a defence in time, so the court entered judgment by default. The six are also jointly liable for AFSA’s costs of KZT 1,995,479.95, including KZT 45,000 in court fees.
Why the Coinbase Kazakhstan ban stops at the AIFC border
This is the most important detail. AFSA first asked for a ban covering users across Kazakhstan. However, the judge refused to go that far.
The main reason is a new law. Law 259-VIII, in force since May 1, 2026, rewrote the country’s digital asset rules. It gives the wider licensing role to the National Bank of Kazakhstan. In other words, AFSA now polices its own centre, not the whole country. So the court limited the injunction to the AIFC and users located there. Still, it left AFSA free to ask for wider terms later.
In our view, this is the real story. Kazakhstan now has two crypto gatekeepers. Exchanges that want the full market will need to deal with the National Bank, not only Astana’s hub.
The app store angle
The order also reaches Apple and Google. Once served, both are bound “as if they had been parties to the claim,” the judgment says. The judge declined a separate injunction against them for now. Instead, he asked AFSA to first discuss the practical steps with them.
This matters, because the court itself noted that a ban on the exchanges would be “practically unenforceable” without app store help. For users, therefore, the likely result is simple. The six apps could vanish from local versions of Google Play and the App Store.
Data check: how big was the crackdown?
AFSA chief executive Evgeniya Bogdanova said the work began in 2025 with written warnings to more than 20 platforms. After that, nine platforms restricted their apps in Kazakhstan, and seven said they would apply for an AFSA licence. Only six now face court-enforced limits.
Even so, markets did not react. Bitcoin traded at $82,544 at 19:53 UTC on Oct. 20, up 0.9% in 24 hours, per CoinGecko. That fits the order’s narrow reach.
Meanwhile, it is not Coinbase’s first clash with Kazakh authorities. CoinDesk notes that the country blocked Coinbase’s website in 2023 over alleged breaches of its digital asset law.
What this means for users and exchanges
For people inside the AIFC, the message is clear. Use a platform on AFSA’s public register of licensed firms. AFSA warns that clients of unlicensed platforms lose protections on asset safeguarding, disclosure, complaints and dispute resolution.
For exchanges, on the other hand, the playbook is familiar. Regulators now target apps and app stores, not only websites. We saw a similar move when South Korea blocked KuCoin and MEXC. Likewise, Bitget set an exit deadline for Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan earlier this month.
If you keep funds on any exchange that may lose access in your region, it helps to know how to move them. Our self-custody wallet setup guide walks through the basics.
What to watch next
- App store action. Watch whether Apple and Google geo-block the six apps after service.
- Wider orders. AFSA kept the right to seek broader terms. A National Bank move would reach all of Kazakhstan.
- Licence applications. Seven platforms said they would apply to AFSA. New approvals would show who stays.
- Exchange replies. None of the six has commented yet. A Coinbase statement could signal a licence bid or an exit.
Coinbase Kazakhstan FAQ
Is Coinbase banned in all of Kazakhstan?
No. The AIFC Court order covers only the Astana International Financial Centre and users located there. The judge limited it because a law in force since May 1, 2026 gives nationwide licensing to the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
Which exchanges does the AIFC injunction cover?
The operators of BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX. LBank was named on Sept. 15, 2026, but the court removed it on Sept. 18 after it blocked access in Kazakhstan.
Will the apps disappear from app stores?
Possibly. Once served, Apple and Google are bound by the order as if they were parties. AFSA said it will send the orders to both companies to restrict access to the six apps.
Sources
- AFSA: AIFC Court issues injunctions against operators of several unlicensed crypto platforms
- AIFC Court: Case No. 10 of 2026, default judgment and order (Sept. 15, 2026)
- AIFC Court: Case No. 10 of 2026, variation order (Sept. 18, 2026)
- CoinDesk: Kazakhstan court bars Coinbase, five others from unlicensed crypto services in AIFC
- CoinGecko: Bitcoin price
This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research before you invest.
