As of April 1, 2025, the banking sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan is represented by 21 second-tier banks, including 12 banks with foreign participation, including 9 subsidiary banks.

Assets of the banking sector as of April 1, 2025 totaled 62.0 trillion KZT, up by 1.6% in March this year (a 0.7% growth since the beginning of 2025), mainly due to 2.0% expansion of the loan portfolio of banks to 36.7 trillion KZT.

Loans to the economy issued by second-tier banks rose by 1.5% in March 2025 to 34.3 trillion KZT (a 1.7% growth since the beginning of 2025). In the structure of loans to the economy, in late March 2025, loans in the national currency increased by 1.4% to 31.6 trillion KZT, in foreign currency they expanded by 2.1% to 2.7 trillion KZT, including due to positive revaluation as a result of KZT devaluation against the USD.

Loans to business entities for March 2025 increased by 1.8% to 12.9 trillion KZT (a 1.0% decrease since the beginning of 2025), mainly due to an increase in loans issued for acquisition of working capital by 2.1% to 5.0 trillion KZT. In the structure of business loans, loans to large businesses increased by 10.5% to 5.0 trillion KZT, while loans to SMEs shrank by 5.4% to 5.6 trillion KZT due to loan reclassification by one of the banks between these categories. Loans to individual entrepreneurs widened by 3.1% to 2.4 trillion KZT.

In the industry breakdown, in March 2025, an increase in business loans was reported throughout all industries, with the exception of agriculture due to scheduled repayments. In industry, loans inched up by 0.8% to 4.3 trillion KZT, trade – by 2.8% to 3.5 trillion KZT, transport – by 1.7% to 0.9 trillion KZT, information and communications – by 10.5% to 0.2 trillion KZT, construction – by 0.8% to 0.6 trillion KZT.

In March 2025, new loans were issued to businesses in the amount of 1.4 trillion KZT, which is 7.5% more compared to March 2024. According to performance for the 1st quarter of 2025, volume of new loans issued to businesses made 3.9 trillion KZT, staying put year-on-year.

According to results of March 2025, the average weighted interest rate on loans issued to business entities in national currency rose to 21.6% from 20.9% a month earlier, mainly as a result of an increase in the rate on loans to large businesses from 17.7% to 18.6%. In general, the increase in rates is a consequence of the increase in the base rate by the National Bank in March 2025 from 15.25% to 16.5%.

Retail loans made 21.4 trillion KZT, with a 1.3% increase in March 2025 (a 3.5% increase since the beginning of 2025) as a result of a 1.9% increase in consumer loans to 14.4 trillion KZT.

In March 2025, the average weighted interest rate on loans issued to the population in KZT rose to 19.7% (in February 2025 – 18.6%) due to an increase in the rate on consumer loans from 19.1% to 20.4%.

Quality of banks' loan portfolio remains high. Thus, as of 01.04.2025, loans overdue for more than 90 days in the total loan portfolio accounted for 3.4% or 1.2 trillion KZT, inching up from 3.3% a month earlier.

NPL90+ loans on retail loans as of 01.04.25 accounted for 4.2% making 894 billion KZT, on business loans – 2.3% or 338 billion KZT. Level of coverage of loans with overdue debt of over 90 days by provisions was 67.1% (67.0% as of 01.01.2025).

Liabilities of the banking sector for March 2025 expanded by 1.7% to 52.6 trillion KZT mainly due to an increase in customer deposits. In the structure of liabilities of the banking sector, customer deposits prevail accounting for 79.3% which is 41.8 trillion KZT.

Deposits of residents with depository organizations in March 2025 inched up by 0.1% to 40.5 trillion KZT mainly as a result of an increase in deposits in foreign currency by 2.8% to 9.4 trillion KZT, including due to a positive revaluation against the background of KZT devaluation against the USD. KZT deposits contracted by 0.8% to 31.1 billion KZT. As a result, dollarization level of deposit as of 01.04.2025 was 23.2%,  a slight increase from 22.5% a month earlier.

Corporate deposits in March 2025 decreased by 0.6% to 18.2 trillion KZT, while retail deposits rise by 0.6% to 22.3 trillion KZT.

Average weighted interest rate on term deposits of non-bank legal entities in national currency in March 2025 was 15.0% (in February 2025 – 14.2%), on retaildeposits – 13.6% (in February 2025 – 13.3%).

In March 2025, equity capital of banks increased by 0.9% to 9.3 trillion KZT (5.1% growth since the beginning of 2025), mainly due to an increase in retained earnings. As of April 1, 2025, the core capital adequacy ratio (k1) was 20.6% (as of January 1, 2025 – 20.4%), equity capital adequacy ratio (k2) was 22.1% (22.0% as of January 1, 2025), which significantly exceeds the standards established by the laws and ensures coverage of potential risks in the banking sector.

For January-March 2025, net profit of banks totaled 664 billion KZT, which is 16.6% more year-on-year. Return on banking assets (ROA) as of April 1, 2025 made 4.6% (4.6% as of March 1, 2025), return on equity (ROE) – 31.8% (31.9% as of March 1, 2025).

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/ardfm/press/news/details/988433?lang=kk