The Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) has announced the first successful payment of a regulatory fee using a USD-pegged stablecoin. The payment was made by SkyBridge Digital Finance Ltd., a licensed digital-asset service provider and AIFC FinTech Lab participant.
The initiative allows companies participating in the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to pay eligible regulatory fees using USD-pegged stablecoins instead of traditional bank transfers.
The system is designed so that approved providers receive the stablecoins, convert them into fiat currency and then transfer the corresponding amount to AFSA. AFSA itself does not hold the stablecoins.
Stablecoins move into regulated financial infrastructure
The first transaction is significant because it demonstrates a practical use of stablecoins within a regulated financial centre in Central Asia.
According to AFSA, the pilot is intended to expand settlement options for AIFC participants while supporting Kazakhstan’s ambition to establish the AIFC as a regional hub for digital finance and innovation.
The current framework allows eligible regulatory fees, including authorisation, supervision and certain licensing-related fees, to be paid through approved providers using USD-pegged stablecoins.
Bybit Limited is currently listed by AFSA as an approved provider. The provider handles the stablecoin transaction and converts the funds into fiat before the payment is settled with AFSA.
The development adds another piece to Kazakhstan’s growing digital-asset infrastructure. The country introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets in May 2026, including stablecoins, tokenised real-world assets and other digital financial assets.
For Central Asia, the experiment is notable because stablecoins are moving beyond trading and investment applications and into real-world payments within a regulated financial institution.
Primary source: AFSA – First-ever regulatory fee payment in stablecoins