Kazakhstan regulator moves to enforce app store bans on Coinbase, HTX and others
Kazakhstan's Astana Financial Services Authority will serve Apple and Google with court injunctions against six unlicensed cryptocurrency platforms, seeking to block access to their mobile applications in the financial center.
Kazakhstan's Astana Financial Services Authority announced on Oct. 20 that it will serve Apple and Google with injunctions obtained from the Astana International Financial Centre Court. The orders target the operators of six unlicensed cryptocurrency platforms: Coinbase, HTX, BingX, Bitcoin.com, BitMart, and WEEX.[3][1][4]
The injunctions bar the operators from offering, providing, or marketing digital asset services in the AIFC or to users located within the jurisdiction without authorization, as well as distributing mobile apps for those services. The court entered a default judgment on Sept. 15 after the platforms failed to acknowledge service or file a defense. AFSA CEO Evgeniya Bogdanova stated that the court orders will be sent to the operators of Google Play and the Apple App Store to restrict access, though AFSA did not confirm whether the documents have been delivered.[3]
Justice Sir Stephen Richards declined to grant an order directly compelling Apple and Google, noting that the sensible first step is for the regulator to enter into dialogue with the tech companies. Once formally served, both companies become bound by the injunctions and may seek to vary or set them aside. The judge also limited the scope of the orders to the AIFC rather than the entirety of Kazakhstan, citing statutory amendments taking effect May 1 that granted the National Bank of Kazakhstan broader licensing authority.[3][5]
According to Bogdanova, AFSA warned more than 20 platforms in 2025 before taking legal action in early 2026. Nine platforms voluntarily restricted app access in the country, prompting the regulator to drop cases against them, though court records list 12 dropped operators. A separate Sept. 18 order dismissed claims against LBank after it restricted access in Kazakhstan.[3][2]
Key facts
- The AIFC Court issued injunctions against the operators of Coinbase, HTX, BingX, Bitcoin.com, BitMart, and WEEX prohibiting unlicensed digital asset services and app distribution in the AIFC.
- The court orders stem from a Sept. 15 default judgment entered after the exchange operators failed to acknowledge service or file a defense.
- AFSA plans to serve the court orders on Apple and Google to restrict app access, which will legally bind both companies upon receipt.
- Justice Sir Stephen Richards declined to issue a direct order against Apple and Google for now, instructing AFSA to first engage in dialogue with them.
- The injunctions were confined to the AIFC rather than all of Kazakhstan due to digital asset law changes effective May 1 empowering the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
- AFSA dropped claims against LBank on Sept. 18 and withdrew actions against several other platforms after they voluntarily limited app access.
Sources · 5 sources
- CO
CoinMarketCap@CoinMarketCapPost on X ·
LATEST: ⚖️ Kazakhstan's AIFC court has barred Coinbase, BingX, HTX, Bitcoin.com, BitMart, and WEEX from offering digital-asset services in its jurisdiction without a license, per AFSA. https://t.co/xzu2juqkXe
Open source - CT
Coin TelegraphArticle ·
Kazakhstan court orders curbs on Coinbase, BingX and four others Nine other crypto platforms voluntarily restricted app access in Kazakhstan, prompting the regulator to withdraw its claims against them.
Open source - UN
UnchainedArticle ·
Kazakhstan’s AIFC Regulator Turns to Apple and Google to Enforce Coinbase, HTX Injunctions Kazakhstan’s Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA) says it will serve Apple and Google with injunctions it won against Coinbase , HTX and four other unlicensed crypto platforms, after a court declined to order the app store operators directly. The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court orders, which AFSA announced on Oct. 20 , cover the operators of BingX , Bitcoin.com , HTX , BitMart , Coinbase and WEEX . They bar those operators from providing, offering or marketing digital asset services in the AIFC, or to users located there, without authorization, and from distributing mobile apps for that purpose. “The relevant Court orders will be sent to the operators of Google Play and the Apple App Store to restrict access to these services,” AFSA CEO Evgeniya Bogdanova said in the statement. AFSA did not say whether they have been delivered. Get Unchained’s crypto news in your inbox with the free Unchained Daily newsletter . Orders Date to September The court entered a default judgment on Sept. 15 after the operators did not file an acknowledgment of service or a defense. A Sept. 18 order dropped a seventh platform, LBank , whose operator AFSA said had blocked access in Kazakhstan. Apple and Google become bound by the injunctions once served with notice, and can ask to vary or set them aside after acknowledging service. But Justice Sir Stephen Richards declined, for now, AFSA’s request for a separate order against them, leaving AFSA free to return later. He wrote that “the sensible course in the first instance is for the Claimant to enter into dialogue with Google LLC and Apple Inc” on the steps needed. He also limited the injunctions to the AIFC rather than all of Kazakhstan, citing amendments to the digital assets law that took effect May 1 and gave the National Bank of Kazakhstan the broader licensing role. Nine Platforms Pulled Apps, AFSA Says AFSA warned more than 20 platforms in 2025 and went to court in early 2026, Bogdanova said. Nine platforms then limited access to their apps in Kazakhstan, which led AFSA to drop its cases against them, she said. Seven others plan to apply for an AFSA license, she added. The court record puts the number of operators AFSA dropped at 12 . Related Listen: The Chopping Block: Live at TOKEN2049 with Balaji Srinivasan and Arthur Hayes on Kazakhstan, Crypto Bunker Mode, and the L2 Shutdowns The post Kazakhstan’s AIFC Regulator Turns to Apple and Google to Enforce Coinbase, HTX Injunctions appeared first on Unchained .
Open source - CO
Cointelegraph@CointelegraphPost on X ·
🇰🇿 LATEST: Kazakhstan’s AIFC Court barred Coinbase, HTX, BingX, BitMart, Bitcoincom and WEEX from offering unlicensed crypto services and ordered app store restrictions. https://t.co/FNwP8rRHx6
Open source - LS
Laura Shin@laurashinPost on X ·
An Astana court barred six unlicensed crypto platforms from serving users in the AIFC in September. The AIFC's regulator now says it will serve the orders on Apple and Google, which would bind both companies. https://t.co/JkvhOGTDEr
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