Kazakhstan’s financial authorities said a court in the Astana International Financial Centre has ordered six overseas crypto platforms to halt unlicensed activity within the AIFC. The affected companies are Coinbase, BingX, Bitcoin.com, HTX, BitMart and WEEX, according to an Oct. 21 announcement by the Astana Financial Services Authority.

The order targets platforms that allegedly operated without the authorization required to provide digital-asset services in the AIFC. AFSA said the ruling bars the companies from offering crypto-asset services, promoting those services, or distributing related mobile applications in the AIFC unless they obtain the relevant licenses.

What the order covers

The court measure is focused on activity inside the jurisdiction of the Astana International Financial Centre, a separate financial zone in Kazakhstan with its own regulatory framework. AFSA said the platforms named in the order do not have the authorization needed for the activities covered by the ruling.

According to the regulator, the exchanges and service providers can no longer provide crypto-related services in the AIFC or market those services there without approval. The restriction also extends to the distribution of mobile apps connected to those offerings.

Timeline of the case

AFSA said the AIFC Court first issued the order on Sept. 15. Parts of the ruling were later revised on Sept. 18.

The regulator disclosed the existence of the court order on Oct. 21, identifying Coinbase, BingX, Bitcoin.com, HTX, BitMart and WEEX as the six platforms currently covered.

LBank removed after access block

One exchange that was initially included is no longer part of the order. AFSA said LBank was removed after it blocked users in Kazakhstan from accessing its services.

That change was reflected in the revised version of the court order, leaving six platforms on the final list announced by the regulator.

What comes next

Based on AFSA’s announcement, the immediate confirmed effect is a prohibition on unlicensed offering, promotion and app distribution within the AIFC by the six named platforms. The order does not, in the information released by the regulator, describe any further penalties or enforcement actions beyond those restrictions.

The next clear step for the companies, as set out by the regulator’s notice, would be to obtain the relevant licenses if they want to lawfully provide or market crypto-asset services in the AIFC.

Source: en.bloomingbit.io