Kazakhstan's AIFC Court Curbs Coinbase, BingX and Four Others

The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court has barred six crypto platforms — BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX — from offering digital asset services within the AIFC without a licence. The judgment was issued on September 15, 2026, according to the regulator, the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), which announced it; it drew wider attention on October 20.

Details

AFSA says the court prohibited the operators from offering, advertising or distributing digital asset services in the AIFC without authorisation. Google and Apple were also ordered to geo-restrict access to the platforms' apps. LBank was initially named too, but was removed on September 18 after it blocked access from Kazakhstan itself (Cointelegraph).

The effort began in 2025, when AFSA sent written warnings to more than 20 platforms. AFSA CEO Evgeniya Bogdanova said nine complied voluntarily and seven indicated they would seek licences. The regulator argues users of unlicensed platforms lack asset protection, disclosure, complaint handling and dispute resolution, and that unlicensed activity gives an unfair edge over firms that bear compliance costs.

What it means for the market

The order adds to a broader tightening of access for users in Kazakhstan to offshore exchanges: Bitget, for example, is cutting off Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus. Users holding funds on the named platforms should watch for the exchanges' own withdrawal notices. Platforms licensed in the AIFC are unaffected.

For market context, see the daily brief. This is not investment advice.