Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan unveils sweeping crypto push as President signs digital asset decree; Kazakh 'satin' horse becomes new national symbol

Blockster: Kazakhstan unveils sweeping crypto push as president signs digital asset decree

Kazakhstan is stepping up its push to become a leading crypto economy, with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signing a decree to accelerate digital asset adoption, Blockster reports. The measures support stablecoin payments, tokenized financial products, tax incentives and new energy solutions for Bitcoin mining.

The decree builds on the country's broader digital asset strategy introduced earlier this year and aims to position Kazakhstan as a regional hub for regulated digital finance. It also proposes regulated stablecoin payments for cross-border trade, encourages users to move crypto assets to licensed domestic exchanges and offers tax incentives for certain digital asset activities.

"Our goal is to make Kazakhstan a point of attraction for global capital and expertise while ensuring maximum transparency and protection for every participant in this market," said Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan's Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

The government also plans to power Bitcoin mining with associated petroleum gas and surplus natural gas that would otherwise be flared, reinforcing its ambition to build a fully regulated digital asset ecosystem.

South China Morning Post: Hong Kong exchange marks progress in luring more listings from abroad

Hong Kong's stock exchange is attracting a growing number of international companies seeking global capital, with Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) among the latest applicants after filing for a listing on June 30, South China Morning Post reports.

The move follows former KTZ CEO Talgat Aldybergenov's announcement that the state-owned railway operator is on track for a triple listing in Hong Kong, London and Kazakhstan by the end of 2026.

According to PwC, Hong Kong is expected to see an influx of overseas issuers in the second half of the year and into 2027, driven mainly by companies from Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

"Companies looking to list in the second half have relatively shorter windows," said Perris Lee, head of equity capital markets for Asia-Pacific at Mergermarket. "They need to price and launch when market sentiment is favourable."

Founded in 1997, KTZ is wholly owned by Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund and serves as the country's main rail operator, linking Kazakhstan with China, Central Asia, Russia, the Caspian region and Europe. In its filing, the company said choosing Hong Kong supports the "high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative." It reported a net profit of 343.65 billion tenge ($735 million) in 2025.

Smithsonian Magazine: Kazakhstan’s Iron Age ‘Golden Man’ and other elite Scythians of Eurasia inherited their high social status, ancient DNA suggests

A DNA analysis of the famous 2,300 year old "Golden Man" burial in Kazakhstan has confirmed the elite individual was male and suggests that high social status among the ancient Saka people was inherited rather than earned, according to a study published in Science Advances, Smithsonian Magazine reports.

Researchers analyzed the genomes of 85 Iron Age individuals, including the first genome wide data from the Golden Man. They found that elite individuals buried across different sites were closely related, indicating that power and wealth were passed down through family lines.

"We did not expect to find that social status was passed down from generation to generation," said study co-author Ainash Childebayeva, a genetic anthropologist at the University of Texas at Austin. "But it was clear that high-status individuals were more related to each other, even when buried at different archaeological sites, than to people of lower status."

The findings also revealed that women made up nearly half of the elite burials, suggesting that high status was not determined by gender. Researchers say the study provides new evidence of hereditary social hierarchy among the nomadic Saka communities that once inhabited the Eurasian steppe.

Eurovoix News: Kazakhstan: Will Not Return for Junior Eurovision 2026

According to Eurovoix News, Kazakhstan will not return to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2026, with the country’s Ministry of Culture and Information confirming that participation is not currently being considered due to financial constraints.

The Ministry stated in a letter, reported by ESC Spot, that the country will not participate in Junior Eurovision this year.

While talks regarding Eurovision are expected to continue throughout the year, no plans are currently in place for a Eurovision or Junior Eurovision comeback.

Junior Eurovision 2026 is due to take place in Ta’ Qali, Malta on 24 October, marking the third time that Malta has hosted the competition.

Euronews: Good breeding: Kazakh 'satin' horse becomes new national symbol

A rare satin colored Akhal-Teke horse named Aqzhan has captured public attention in Kazakhstan, where horses remain a powerful symbol of prosperity, heritage and national identity, Euronews reports.

Named by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Aqzhan was born in Astana in March 2025 and has a rare isabelline coat, a color found in only about 3% of Akhal-Teke horses. The coat's unique sheen creates a satin-like appearance that has made the horse a social media sensation.

"During the May holidays, I found time to stop by and see how the horses, donated over the years, are being cared for," Tokayev said after visiting the presidential stables. "A year ago, I named a light-colored Akhal-Teke foal Aqzhan. He moves confidently and appears intelligent and noble."

Horses have long played a central role in Kazakhstan's nomadic culture, serving as symbols of wealth, transport and military power. Archaeological evidence suggests the region was among the earliest centers of horse domestication, dating back as far as 3500 BCE. Today, horse breeding and equestrian traditions remain an important part of Kazakhstan's cultural identity.

Archeology Magazine: Golden horde structure discovered in Kazakhstan

Researchers from Margulan University found a large medieval structure while surveying an area in northern Kazakhstan known as the Zhantai tract with lidar and ground-penetrating radar, according to a Qazinform News Agency report, Archeology Magazine reports.

Excavations at the site uncovered fragments of burnt bricks of the type that were used during the so-called Golden Horde period to build palaces, mosques, mausoleums, and other monuments.

Established in the thirteenth century, the Golden Horde was made up of lands under the rule of Jochi, a prince of the Mongol Empire. The area extended from Siberia and Central Asia into Eastern Europe, and to the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea to the south. For more on cities built during this period, go to "Searching for Lost Cities: Palaces of the Golden Horde."

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