Kazakhstan Approves Central Asia’s First Spot Bitcoin ETF on BNB Chain

Kazakhstan has accepted Central Asia first Bitcoin ETF spot in the trading commencement that will open today, August 13, 2025. The Fonte Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund or BETF, as it is known, will be available on the Astana International Exchange. It is physically backed by Bitcoin and BitGo is used to custody it. The step is taken when Kazakhstan continues to be among the leading centres of Bitcoin mining in the world.

Kazakhstan has a Mining Powerhouse Status

The country emerged as one of the leaders following a ban in crypto mining in China in 2021. Executive Quantity Infrastructure electricity prices were low and coal rich areas such as Ekibastuz were in Kazakhstan that led to the movement of many miners to Kazakhstan. At the height of its contribution, the nation contributed more than 18 percent of the world hash rate of bitcoin. The levels are currently high to around 15-18%. Regulations have been put in place to make mining compatible with the national energy demands by authorities.

ETF Facts

The BETF will have an U.S. dollar pricing and will be regulated in accordance to the Astana International Financial Centre. It will be also open to the retail and institutional investors. This puts Kazakhstan in the path with the global markets such as the U.S. which had already approved the spot ETFs of Bitcoin in 2023. It is expected that, in the first projections, the assets under management will be between 50 and 100 million dollars, with substantial interest in foreign investment.

Kazakhstan moves against the mining of illegality. Only yesterday, an illegal operation with the amount of 16 million was closed by authorities in Almaty. Regulated products such as the ETF give hope to officials that it can legitimize it and bring onboard compliant investors. The takeoff marks a transition to a source of power that is not related only to mining.