Kazakhstan Sets Its Sights on Becoming Eurasia’s Digital Hub

Yuanyin reports from Tokyo

Geneva, July 2026.

At the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit, the slogan displayed at one national pavilion attracted considerable attention:

“Kazakhstan — Eurasia’s AI and Digital Hub.”

A landlocked country in Central Asia was presenting itself as the digital hub of the Eurasian continent.

A decade ago, such a claim might have seemed difficult to believe. Today, however, a closer look at Kazakhstan’s digital foundations suggests that this is no longer merely an ambition. It is increasingly becoming a reality.

Kazakhstan’s digital transformation has moved beyond the initial stage of electronic government. It has entered a deeper phase, in which the country is seeking to evolve from a “digital government” into a “digital nation,” and ultimately into a regional “digital hub.”

A Strong Digital Scorecard

Kazakhstan ranked 24th globally in the United Nations’ 2024 E-Government Development Index, placing it in the “very high” category. Its Online Service Index ranked even higher, at 10th worldwide, putting the country in the same leading group as internationally recognised digital-government pioneers such as Estonia, South Korea and Denmark.

The Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2025 ranked Kazakhstan 60th among 195 countries, an improvement of 16 places in a single year and further confirmation of its position as the most digitally advanced country in Central Asia. In Microsoft’s global AI diffusion ranking, Kazakhstan placed 70th among 147 countries, with an AI adoption rate of 15.9%, the highest in Central Asia.

Behind these rankings are tangible results.

More than 90% of public services are now available online. In 2025, citizens accessed online government services a total of 51.5 million times. The “Social Wallet” programme covered 6,700 schools and reduced local-government expenditure by between 15% and 30%. The electronic prescription system processed 13 million prescriptions, while 85% of banking transactions were completed without cash. Exports of IT services exceeded US$1.1 billion, rising by nearly 60% year on year and reaching customers in more than 110 countries.

For a country that gained independence only in 1991, this is not a gradual process of improvement. It is a structural leap.

From a Legal Framework to Strategic Depth

In 2025, Kazakhstan became the first country in Central Asia to enact a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Law. In the same year, it established a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, elevating digital development into an independent area of national policy. In 2026, the country formally adopted its Digital Kazakhstan 2029 Strategy, setting out a roadmap for digital transformation over the following three years.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev designated 2026 as the “Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence.” In his state-of-the-nation address, he set out the objective of transforming Kazakhstan into a fully digital nation within three years.

Kazakhstan also assumed the rotating presidency of the Eurasian Economic Union on January 1, 2026, identifying the application of artificial intelligence across the union’s various sectors as a central priority. From domestic legislation to the regional agenda, Kazakhstan is converting its digital capabilities into greater influence over the direction of Eurasian development.

One Gigawatt of Computing Power and US$10 Billion in Investment

A hub cannot be built on ideas alone. It requires physical infrastructure.

In July 2026, during a visit to Shanghai, Tokayev announced that Kazakhstan was advancing a “Data Centre Valley” project in the city of Ekibastuz. The project is expected to include hyperscale data centres, cloud-computing facilities and an infrastructure platform for artificial intelligence.

Several days later, NVIDIA announced its support for the project. Kazakhstan has reportedly secured commitments of more than US$10 billion for investment in AI data centres. The proposed 250-megawatt AI data-centre hub is intended to serve as the backbone of digital infrastructure not only for Kazakhstan, but for Central Asia as a whole.

At the same time, preparations are under way to establish Central Asia’s first university dedicated specifically to artificial intelligence. In June, SuperX AI also proposed the construction of a one-gigawatt computing-power campus in Kazakhstan.

The Data Centre Valley project and the Digital Kazakhstan national strategy form part of a clear development logic: data centres provide the physical foundation for computing power, while computing power has become one of the hardest currencies of the AI era.

Kazakhstan’s goal is to transform itself from an exporter of energy into an exporter of computing power.

Digitally Connecting Eurasia

A hub does not merely store data. It enables data to circulate.

In July 2026, Kazakhstan proposed the construction of a “Unified Digital Transport Space,” designed to allow goods to cross national borders as efficiently as data moves through digital networks. During the same period, it introduced the “Kazakhstan–China Digital Bridge” initiative, which aims to create a practical model for integrating the two countries’ digital economies.

Astana is also scheduled to host the international AI and Digital Bridge 2026 technology forum in October.

Kazakhstan is seeking to upgrade its traditional role as a physical corridor across Eurasia into that of a digital hub for the continent—a place where goods, data, capital and technology converge.

A Digital Ecosystem Takes Shape

By 2026, Kazakhstan’s progress in digital transformation could no longer be understood as a collection of isolated projects.

The country has legislation in the form of the Artificial Intelligence Law, a national strategy through Digital Kazakhstan 2029, a dedicated government institution in the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, strong international rankings, physical infrastructure represented by Data Centre Valley, export capacity demonstrated by US$1.1 billion in IT services, regional leadership through its presidency of the Eurasian Economic Union, and international cooperation involving NVIDIA, China and GITEX.

More importantly, Kazakhstan is beginning to assemble these individual elements into a complete ecosystem.

A 2026 report by Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs noted that there remained a significant gap between “what Kazakhstan has already built” and “what the world knows it has built.” That gap, however, may itself represent an opportunity.

During his visit to Shanghai in July 2026, Tokayev said:

“No country should remain merely a consumer of artificial-intelligence technologies. Every country should have the opportunity to build its own digital infrastructure and institutional capabilities.”

The statement was measured, but its message was clear. Kazakhstan does not want to serve merely as a temporary stopover for digital activity crossing Eurasia. It wants to become the continent’s digital landlord.

A country spanning the Eurasian landmass is using digital technology to redefine its position. It is not attempting to alter its geographical coordinates in the physical world, but to establish a new set of coordinates in the digital world—positioning itself as a central node on Eurasia’s emerging digital map.

The journey ahead remains long, but the direction is already clear.