Kazakhstan court restricts Coinbase and five other crypto platforms inside Astana financial hub
Court orders restrict six crypto platforms inside the AIFC
A court in Kazakhstan has issued injunctions against Coinbase and five other crypto platforms, stopping them from offering services without authorization inside the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). The AIFC is a financial hub in Kazakhstan's capital that runs under its own legal system and its own regulator.
The Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), the regulator for the centre, said the orders cover BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX. The platforms are barred from offering or marketing unlicensed digital asset services and from distributing mobile apps for those services within the centre.
The restrictions are not a nationwide ban. A Sept. 15 judgment by Justice Sir Stephen Richards said the injunctions apply only to the AIFC and to users located there.
Key facts from the AFSA announcement
- Six platforms are named in the injunctions: BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX.
- The court entered judgment by default after the platform operators did not respond within the required period.
- LBank was named in the initial proceedings and was removed on Sept. 18 after addressing AFSA's concerns. The regulator said LBank blocked access to its services in Kazakhstan.
- AFSA said its enforcement work began in 2025 with warnings to more than 20 crypto platforms, followed by court proceedings in early 2026.
- Coinbase was previously restricted in Kazakhstan in 2023, when authorities blocked its website over alleged violations of the country's digital asset law, according to CoinDesk.
What the regulator says about Google and Apple
The order also binds Google and Apple as app-store operators. The court declined to issue a separate injunction against them, saying AFSA should first discuss the necessary steps with the two companies.
No nationwide ban, judge says
The AIFC operates under its own legal framework and requires crypto firms to obtain a license to offer services within the centre. The September judgment states the injunctions apply only inside the AIFC and to users there, which means they do not extend to the rest of Kazakhstan.
Comments from the platforms
CoinDesk said it reached out to the platforms for comment but had not heard back before publication.
What is confirmed
AFSA has confirmed the court orders against BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX inside the AIFC. The judgment by default, the Sept. 15 judgment limiting the scope to the AIFC, the Sept. 18 removal of LBank, and the earlier warnings to more than 20 platforms are all part of the regulator's account.
What is still unclear
The source material does not say what specific steps Google and Apple may be asked to take, or when that discussion will happen. It also does not state whether any of the named platforms plan to respond, apply for a license, or challenge the orders.
Why it matters
The case shows how the AIFC uses its separate legal system to require crypto platforms to hold a license before serving users in the centre. It also shows the limits of that power: the injunctions do not cover the rest of Kazakhstan, so the platforms are not barred from the country as a whole by these orders.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.