Kazakhstan's SME sector expands by 550,000 entities in H1 2026
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting on business development with the Finance and National Economy ministries and the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Qazinform News Agency cites primeminister.kz.
The meeting focused on business activity, sectoral and regional indicators, the current situation in entrepreneurship, preliminary results of tax reform, and measures to ensure fair regulation of business entities.
Finance Minister Madi Takiyev reported that corporate income tax revenues to the national budget rose by 15.7% in the first half of the year, with particularly strong growth in the financial sector and manufacturing.
According to the Finance Ministry, the number of small and medium-sized businesses increased by around 550,000 in the first half of the year, as a result of the legalization of self-employed workers. At the same time, self-employed individuals are exempt from taxes and make only social payments. Around 260,000 small and medium-sized enterprises with no employees ceased operations, reflecting a significant reduction in artificial business fragmentation.
Atameken Chairman Kanat Sharlapayev raised several issues concerning the business community and presented proposals on behalf of entrepreneurs. First Vice Minister of National Economy Azamat Amrin also addressed the meeting.
Following the discussion, Prime Minister Bektenov instructed continued cooperation to improve government-business coordination and achieve sustainable economic growth. He tasked the Finance and National Economy ministries, together with the Atameken Chamber, with conducting monthly comprehensive analyses of the entrepreneurial sector across different industries and regions.
As written earlier, business entities grew by 20.4% in Kazakhstan.
