Astana (TDI): Kazakhstan is setting its sights on expanding the share of e-commerce to 20% of the country’s total retail trade by the end of the decade, a senior official revealed.
Galya-Banu Meirbayeva, Director of the Department of Electronic and Exchange Trade at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, said that boosting the digital economy is a national priority.
“Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual assistants are key to improving customer experiences, streamlining cross-border commerce, and modernizing our economy,” Meirbayeva said.
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Kazakhstan’s online retail sector has seen remarkable expansion in recent years.
The market has grown sevenfold since 2019, reaching a value of 3.2 trillion tenge (roughly $6.1 billion) in 2024.
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Online sales now account for 14.1% of total retail turnover, with over 8 million citizens regularly shopping online, most of them younger consumers.
“The growth potential is enormous. We want one in every five purchases to be made online by 2030,” a ministry representative said.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
