Return of Funds: Over 350 Billion Kazakhstani Tenge Recovered Inside Kazakhstan During 2025
Kazakhstan's Asset Recovery and Investment Efforts Yield Results
In Kazakhstan, the Prosecutor General's office has been at the forefront of a significant drive to recover illegally acquired assets and prevent budget losses. Since 2023, the office has assisted 1,522 investors in investment projects, totalling 8.3 trillion tenge.
The intensified efforts to prevent budget losses have seen prosecutors actively participating in solving systemic business problems under a bilateral agreement with NPP "Atameken". As a result, potential budget losses of 109 billion tenge have been prevented in the realm of public procurement.
The Prosecutor's offices have also recovered 716 billion tenge for the budget through prosecutorial measures. This recovery has been instrumental in the construction of more than 400 social facilities, including 333 in remote areas and cities. Thirty-three facilities in the health and sports sectors have already been completed.
The 'prosecutorial filter', a tool for protecting investors, has been established by law. This filter aims to ensure that investments are made in a transparent and legal manner.
The Asset Recovery Committee, led by the Prosecutor's Office, has returned over 354 billion tenge this year. The returned assets and auction revenues are funnelled into the Special State Fund, which finances social infrastructure, indicating a direct reinvestment into public goods.
However, there are calls from experts to move beyond a campaign-style approach towards stable, transparent legislative frameworks integrating asset recovery and legalization, potentially including crypto assets. This could enhance efficiency and public trust in the process.
As of mid-2025, Kazakhstan's asset recovery efforts have resulted in over 354 billion tenge being returned. The Returned Asset Management Company oversees assets worth about 48.6 billion tenge, including valuable land plots in Almaty. Auction sales and asset monetization activities are ongoing, with proceeds contributing to state funding and social projects.
The Prosecutor's Office plays a key role through the Asset Recovery Committee, which oversees asset return and the prevention of budget losses. Yet, there are challenges with transparency and momentum in the asset recovery campaign.
| Aspect | Current Status in Kazakhstan (2025) | |------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Asset Recovery | Over 354 billion tenge recovered; asset management by Returned Asset Management Company; auctions ongoing. | | Investment Projects | Proceeds support construction of 400+ social facilities via the Special State Fund. | | Role of Prosecutor's Offices| Lead Asset Recovery Committee; oversee confiscation and prevention of budget losses; challenges with transparency and momentum exist. |
This represents a transition from aggressive asset seizure to managing and monetizing confiscated properties within an evolving legal and institutional framework. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has unanimously supported Kazakhstan's application to join the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, enabling Kazakhstan to obtain evidence from 46 European countries. Three agreements have also been ratified on extradition and legal assistance in criminal matters with Qatar and on the transfer of convicted persons with Cyprus.
Moreover, over 800 entrepreneurs have approached mobile groups of prosecutor's offices this year, with each fourth case confirmed. Checks and analyzes in the field of budget spending and public procurement have resulted in the recovery of 5.7 billion tenge for the state. Sixty-four-one procurement worth 259 billion tenge have been cancelled. Through the efforts of prosecutors, 166 judicial acts in civil and administrative cases have been overturned or amended, protecting state interests worth 6.2 billion tenge.
In total, 1,519 individuals have been held accountable. The Prosecutor's offices have been diligent in fulfilling tasks set by the head of state, including maintaining legal discipline and a "zero tolerance" policy towards law violations.
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- The Prosecutor General's office has been assisting investors in business projects, having helped 1,522 investors since 2023, contributing to the construction of more than 400 social facilities, funded by the recovered assets.
- To prevent potential budget losses and promote transparency in the business sector, the Prosecutor's offices have implemented the 'prosecutorial filter', a tool ensuring investments are made legally and transparently, and have recovered 716 billion tenge through prosecutorial measures.
