Cyber fraud in Kazakhstan has moved beyond isolated incidents and has become a systemic threat to the financial and personal security of citizens. This conclusion was reached by participants of the Anti-Fraud Forum “Cyber Financial Shield of Kazakhstan,” which brought together representatives of government agencies, the financial sector, law enforcement, the IT industry, and international organizations.

According to forum participants, 26.3 thousand internet fraud cases were recorded in 2025, representing an 86.1% increase compared to the previous year. At the same time, fraud schemes are becoming increasingly organized and transnational.

Kazakhstan has developed a multi-layered anti-fraud system, with the Anti-Fraud Center of the National Payment Corporation of the National Bank of Kazakhstan serving as its key component.

The Anti-Fraud Center has become a unique instrument in the region, largely due to the “single room” effect, where banks, telecom operators, and law enforcement agencies operate within a unified framework. This model has enabled not only the prevention of individual transactions, but also the systematization of fraud typologies, identification of average transaction patterns, detection of vulnerabilities within fraud chains, and definition of key areas for further development.

At the same time, prevented cases—where transactions are stopped before funds are debited—rarely enter the public domain, while public attention remains focused on incidents where losses have already occurred. This creates a perception gap in assessing the effectiveness of anti-fraud efforts.

A key focus of the forum was the transition from reactive measures to proactive protection. Participants emphasized the need to expand the implementation of anti-fraud systems across digital market participants, broaden the ecosystem of the Anti-Fraud Center, and enhance data sharing to strengthen and enrich anti-fraud rules.

As part of this approach, the Anti-Fraud Center has outlined a phased development roadmap. This includes the introduction of AI agents to support and optimize the work of law enforcement agencies, the implementation of transaction-level anti-fraud mechanisms at the level of payment systems as a second line of defense, the integration of digital market participants (including digital asset providers and marketplaces), and the development of cooperation with anti-fraud centers in neighboring countries.

“Today, our key objective is to shift the fight against cyber fraud to the stage before a transaction is executed. We are building a system where banks, telecom operators, and law enforcement agencies operate as a unified ecosystem, with decisions made in near real time. The transition to a predictive model will allow us to increasingly stop fraud at the attempt stage, rather than after the fact,” said Aynura Izmailova, Director of the Anti-Fraud Department – Anti-Fraud Center of the National Payment Corporation of the National Bank of Kazakhstan.

The forum’s key conclusion is that effective counteraction to cyber fraud is only possible through full coordination between the state, the financial sector, telecom operators, and society. In this system, the Anti-Fraud Center of the NPC acts as an integrator, enabling real-time data exchange and rapid response.

Participants also addressed widespread myths about cyber fraud. The data presented showed that financial institutions are already preventing billions of tenge in losses, law enforcement agencies are improving effectiveness, and the introduction of liability for money mules (“droppers”) is shaping new enforcement practices. At the same time, cybercrime is increasingly characterized by organized, transnational networks.

Special attention was given to the role of citizens: the share of Kazakhstanis able to recognize fraudulent schemes has reached 62.9%. The resilience of the system directly depends on the level of digital literacy and the development of a culture of cybersecurity.

Following the forum, a resolution was adopted and will be submitted to government bodies, the National Bank, financial institutions, and international organizations. The document establishes the fight against cyber fraud as a national security priority and outlines measures to strengthen the protection of citizens and the economy.