Russians, being spoiled in terms of fintech in that form, where they were at the end 2021 year, may wonder, that not all banks in the world, turns, look like Tinkoff or Rocketbank, or even other well-known and little-known banks. Namely: have a mega app, where you can open accounts, issue virtual cards, attach them to any account, transfer money from and to a brokerage account quickly and easily, one swipe and click to confirm.
Due to the departure of Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discovery from Russia, the problem of paying abroad has become very acute. What should the Russians do, who travel or move for a long time to another country, other than to go and open a local bank account.
We will review the situation for all foreigners, who came to Kazakhstan for a long time to work, study or to reunite with relatives or obtain a residence permit/citizenship. The problem, which they will face – to receive salaries or other payments, and so on, You will need local bank accounts. First things first – if you don't have a passport, no financial institution in this country will do business with you. therefore, make sure, that you have a passport, the term of which does not come out in the coming days and even months.
And So, let's move on to an overview and a detailed description of all banks, which I have personally tried, poke and use, because otherwise it will all be just words, backed up by nothing.
The sort order of banks in this post means nothing. Is it the popularity of the bank among the locals.
Main points and nuances
NSR – Instant Transfer System. Analogue of our SBP – fast transfer systems. I will indicate, which banks support this technology.
IIN – Analogue of our TIN. Taxpayer number. No financial institution will do business with you, if you have not been assigned an IIN. You can get it in a couple of days, personally contacting the local PSC (analogue of our MFCs) with passport and active Kazakh phone number.
Kaspi Bank
Website: https://kaspi.kz/
The most popular and frequently used bank in Kazakhstan. If you are going to stay in this country for a long time – must-have.
The main feature of this bank – payment by QR code. Also a guarantee, that in every small basement stall or in the market or in a taxi you can pay by transfer to a phone number, what replaces cash. If something goes like “payment”, not how “translation”, what else and bonuses accrue (cashback).
The plastic card of this bank is printed for 60 seconds in a special card machine. You can pick up a card with your name stamped on it on the same day, how to apply to the bank to open an account.
Another main feature of the card – superaddition, in which the shop is located, flea market and banking app. You can pay for anything, with 99% most likely all service providers accept payment by this bank.
Service: 11st year free, then 1 995 tenge per year.
VIsa Gold card, allows you to withdraw cash 300 000 tenge per month. And you can shoot without a card, without applications – logging in with biometrics.
Cash limit: 300 000 per month
Price: 1995 tenge from the 2nd year of use.
SMP support: No
Transfers by card number: 200 tenge per operation
Multicurrency: No
Cashback: in the form of bonuses (1 bonus = 1 tenge), charged for payments via QR (payment, not translations). Can only be used when paying via QR.
Currencies: tenge
Visa Alias: No
Brokerage account: no
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate)
International: Yes I Am (currency conversion at the bank rate)
Google pay/Apple pay: No
Issuing additional cards in the application: No
Card details in the application: All details visible
Number of ATMs: Plenty everywhere
Have an internet bank: No
Outcome: For life in Kazakhstan – must-have. Without this bank, it will simply be hard to exist in this country.. Mostly useless outside of Kazakhstan, although the map will work, have to put up with double currency conversions and not very good rates.
Halyk Bank
Website: https://homebank.kz
Map: Bonus card
Price: 200 tenge per month
Multicurrency: yes they are
Transfers by card number: 200 tenge per operation
Transfers by phone number: Only through Visa Alias, with the possibility of crediting an incoming transfer
The extract contains the address: No
NSR: No
Cashback: Bonuses, but can only be used, where is Halyk Club, or convert bonuses to bonuses for Alser or Sulpak stores (Appliances, electronics). Applies to partners only, there are shares
Currencies: Tenge/Euro/Dollar or Tenge/Euro/Dollar/Ruble
Brokerage account: For residents only
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate). Employment contract – in the presence of.
Google pay/Apple pay: Yes I Am
Details in the application: no card number, account numbers only
The extract contains the address: No
Issuing additional cards in the application: For residents only
Number of ATMs: full
Have an internet bank: Yes I Am
Another popular bank of Kazakhstan, National Bank (nation = nation). All green, just like Sber. Of all the cards, these have the longest lifespan.. Multicurrency card works clumsily – If you have an account 10 dollars, 0 tenge. You just deposited from another bank 7000 tenge, you will have the following picture: 7000 tenge will be displayed in the balance, however, they will hang for some time in processing. And if you make an operation, let us say, to 3000 tenge, then this payment will be debited from DOLLARS!. Which is very uncomfortable sometimes, because you could buy dollars at the same rate, but write differently. Therefore, it is recommended to have at least 2 cards of this bank (however, multicurrency). One for settlements in Tenge in Kazakhstan. second – for settlements in foreign currency. So you can guarantee, that only the currency will be debited from the currency account, and Tenge will be exclusively on another map.
Very difficult to use this bank, if you do not have at least a residence permit, which guarantees, that your biometric data will be associated with digital documents. Enter the bank application, that's another quest, especially on iphone. On Android, you can download the old version of Homebank, log in with a one-time password, then update it to the latest version. In general – good map. Cashback is not very friendly, though if used wisely, profit can be found.
HomeCredit Bank
NSR: No
Price: Is free
Issuing additional cards in the application: Yes I Am, for all
Evening: Bonuses in the form of Tenge. Charged for any transactions + promotional + first 90 days after the activation of the card, increased cashbacks are valid, and also there are random categories every month for increased cashback. Bonuses can be withdrawn in any amount, there is no minimum.
Multicurrency: No
Google Pay/Apple Pay: Yes I Am
The extract contains the address: Yes I Am
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate). Can be done ONLINE with delivery! Identification when meeting with the courier.
Card type: Visa
Currencies: tenge
Brokerage account: No
Number of ATMs: Very little
Have an internet bank: No
NSR: No
Visa Alias: No
Outcome: Excellent card for payments in Tenge. Have contactless payments, easy to issue, very convenient cashback, you can also issue a card, without leaving home (no plastic). Outside of Kazakhstan, the effectiveness of the card will not be very good due to the fact, that there are no currency cards.
Eurasian Bank
Price: 4000 tenge per month
Multicurrency: Yes I Am
Currencies: Tenge/Euro/Dollars
Google Pay/Apple Pay: Yes I Am
The extract contains the address: Yes I Am
Brokerage account: Yes I Am, but citizens of the Russian Federation are not opened.
Have an internet bank: Yes I Am
NSR: Yes I Am
Visa Alias: Yes I Am
Cashback: Yes I Am, in tenge. Can't withdraw. To spend bonuses, you need to activate the write-off of bonuses, and at the next payment they will be written off as a discount. There is only one category of increased cashback, changes once a month (user)
You can issue an additional card: For residents only. Non-residents must contact the bank.
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate), Employment contract. Compliance check required. There is a very high chance of being rejected for no reason.
Outcome: Popular and very popular bank, is an intermediary for many SWIFT transfers from other banks. Premium segment card gives privileges, such as insurance and airport lounge access. There are outgoing SWIFT transfers, but only to accounts of individuals. To send to the account of a legal entity, you will need to contact the bank in person. Excellent card for payments abroad, but there are confusing moments: When replenishing the card by transferring dollars or euros from another bank directly, the amount is first displayed in currency, then converted to Tenge. To keep this from happening, it is desirable to transfer currency from the card account to a foreign currency account, and transfer from a foreign currency account only if you need to make a payment in this currency.
Bank Center Credit
Multicurrency: Yes I Am
NSR: Yes I Am
Alias: Yes I Am
Price: free in tenge (card card). Currency Travel – 5000 tenge per month, IronCard – 10 000 tenge per month. When spending 500 000 tenge per month – Iron card will be free. At 300 000 tenge per month – free Travel ticket.
Currencies: Tenge/Dollar/Euro/Ruble/Arabic Dirham
Cashback: Yes I Am. Minimum savings required 1500 tenge for withdrawal to the account. Can be cashed out.
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate), employment contract (sometimes you have to, sometimes not)
Brokerage account: Forex, available to everyone. There is also an investment – available only to residents.
ATMs: Enough. If BCC ATMs had social media accounts, then they would post something like “standing with an inscription “service”” – ATMs often do not work. but, You can withdraw from other ATMs.
Outcome: The ideal bank for a non-resident. Travel card – the best solution for both price and value. Large limits on transfers by SMP and card number without commissions and withdrawals. Travel card (plastic) looks like a passport, gives privileges in the form of access to the Lounge and Visa Consierge. IronCard card – truly ironclad, no kidding. Has higher withdrawal and transfer limits. Generally the same, how Travel. Forex will allow you to exchange currency at a favorable rate. Cashback available for all categories, travel related. If you have a card card (which is only in tenge) you can fully beat off the service per month, having accumulated cashback. The most functional bank of Kazakhstan, in my view.
Bank Freedom Finance
NSR: Yes I Am
Alias: Yes I Am
Price: 30 000 tenge for opening a card. 1000 tenge per month.
Currencies: Tenge/Dollar/Euro/Ruble
Multicurrency: Yes I Am
Google Pay/Apple Pay: Yes I Am
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate
Brokerage account: Yes I Am, Global PLC. Including for non-residents.
Outcome: Great world map bundled with a poor app, where you can set GEO restrictions for countries (but!). Works closely with Cifra Bank (former Freedom Finance in Russia). Multicurrency works well.
Bank Jusan
NSR: Yes I Am
Alias: Yes I Am
Google Pay/Apple Pay: Yes I Am
Price: Is free
Multicurrency: Yes I Am
Currencies: Tenge/Dollar/Euro/Ruble
Cashback: Two categories per month if Gold status. One – if not Gold. status can be achieved, if you spend 70 000 tenge per month by card. Bonuses can be paid for utilities, phone and more. Can't cash out.
Brokerage account: For residents.
Outcome: Excellent bank for life in Kazakhstan and trips abroad or subscriptions. For residents, the number of currencies is clearly wider (for non-residents before it was also). However, the courses are not very good., but not terrible. Multicurrency works great – if the account has 10 lollars and 0 tenge, when paying 5000 tenge on the account will be displayed -5000 tenge and 10 dollars. So it will hang for a couple of days, and, if you have time to submit 5000 tenge, then it will be reset. If nothing is done – deduct from your dollar account. If the currency is not listed – write off from the account in dollars.
Bank Forte
Multicurrency: No
Price: Free for payroll (tenge or USD) or 4000 tenge per month for Solo premium card with all lounges and other goodies. Also free, if you spend 100 000 tenge per month.
NSR: Yes I Am
Alias: Yes I Am
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate), employment contract. Across 3 months, the accounts will be closed if there are no accruals for taxes or salaries.
Google Pay/Apple Pay: Yes I Am
Cashback: Two categories per month. Minimum amount 2000 tenge to withdraw cashback back to the card. Can be cashed out.
Brokerage account: There is an internal Forex. Available to all ForteBank customers.
Outcome: Great payroll card. For frequent and long trips abroad, currency Solo is suitable. Or vice versa – solo in Tenge and ForteBlue in USD. A good and reliable card for life in Kazakhstan, you can use the premium card for free, if you spend 100 000 tenge per month. What's real, if you often use cashless payments.
Bank Kazposhta
NSR: Yes I Am
Translations of alias: Yes I Am
Google pay/Apple pay: No
Currencies: Tenge/Dollar/Euro
Multicurrency: Yes I Am
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate).
Outcome: Bank, which at the Kazakhstan post. The map is a bit unstable – somewhere just doesn't work, considering Kazakhstan itself. Mine does not want to work in the Kaspi terminals of Kazakhstan, however, if you insert by chip – all ok. Better, than nothing. Map international, that is why, eg, easily linked to PayPal – and there you can pay anything (well, almost)
Bank Bereke
NSR: there is
Visa Alias: No
Google pay/Apple pay: Not working due to sanctions
Multicurrency: No
Currencies: Tenge/Ruble
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate (just a number might be enough, but it is better to print the certificate).
The extract contains the address: No
Cashback: There is something, but haven't studied yet
Outcome: Former Sberbank. Is under sanctions, therefore, the cards of this bank do not work outside of Kazakhstan in principle. Convenient for those, that you can receive transfers from Russia using a phone number from Sberbank.
Bank RBK
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate, 60 000 rubles service in the first month. Minimum balance – 400 000 tenge.
Advantages: Outgoing SWIFT
Outcome: What for?
Nurbank
Documents for opening an account: Passport with border crossing stamp, IIN certificate, employment contract, residence permit in Kazakhstan, carrying out a ceremony and an oath of allegiance to this bank, 15 sit-ups, play on “WEAK” with a manager, etc..
Advantages: Outgoing SWIFT, beautiful managers.
Flaws: All the rest
Outcome: This bank goes last, because the bottom. Don't go to this bank, there are a bunch of other normal analogs above.
Results
Cases
– I just arrived in Kazakhstan, what should I open? (no extra fees)
The perfect gentleman's set: Caspian, Bank Center Credit (card card)
– I came to Kazakhstan, I have a lot of subscriptions and I will often travel abroad and don't mind paying extra for a good card.
Caspian, HomeCredit + Bank CenterCredit (travel/iron)
– I came to Kazakhstan, to study/work
Caspian, ForteBank
Z.Ы.
I AM, accustomed, that every banking application in Russia has 100500 functions and by default supports SBP transfers, was very surprised at the level of fintechs in Kazakhstan. Think, many were surprised. An objective view shows, that not a single bank in Kazakhstan has reached the level of Russian fintechs. When they took money from us for servicing the card – we spat and used essentially free cards of many banks, be it Sberbank or Tinkoff, all of them are technically pumped in and have a huge number of functions under the hood. But now the situation has forced us to reconsider our views on banking services., and, I think, what to pay a small amount for the use of a good product – a noble cause.
banking relations – older than ligasi. As if every country has its own ecosystem, and so far no one has come up with, how to connect it all and automate and exclude human processing from all chains. There are commissions everywhere., Limits. Why is it impossible to freely transfer any currency anywhere, even within the country(BCK smog, like)? For example – cryptocurrency – you can send at least 10 billion dollars in one transaction, paid for “gas” some dollar. While making such a transfer through a regular bank will not be that difficult, but expensive, or have to split the payment. maybe, one day banks will allow you to achieve the same freedom of action, what are crypto exchanges, but it won't be soon.
