AIFC injunctions target Coinbase and other crypto platforms for unlicensed services; Apple and Google become liable upon service.
Regulation & Gov ·
The Astana Financial Services Authority disclosed injunctions against six platforms—BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global, BitMart, Coinbase, and WEEX—on October 20, 2026. The orders stem from a September 15 judgment, modified on September 18, and prohibit the operators from supplying digital asset services or distributing mobile applications for unauthorized offerings within the Astana International Financial Centre or to users based there. The restraints do not extend beyond the AIFC boundary into wider Kazakhstan.
The underlying legal shift prompted the geographic limitation. Legislative amendments to the Law on Digital Assets that took effect May 1, 2026 reassigned broader regulatory responsibilities to the National Bank, narrowing AFSA's jurisdiction to unlicensed activity inside the financial centre. AFSA retains the option to seek a wider order if it submits a further application with adequate reasoning. One operator, LBank's parent, departed the proceedings after voluntarily halting access nationwide; the court removed it from the injunction on September 18.
Apple and Google will become legally bound to the orders upon receiving service of notice, though the announcement does not confirm service has occurred. The court rejected a separate app-store injunction AFSA had sought, citing the absence of an independent legal basis for binding the tech companies through default judgment and the lack of prior opportunity for them to respond. Instead, the ruling directs consultation between AFSA and the platforms on concrete steps to prevent unlawful activity.