Over 600 Companies Under Tax Scrutiny

Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee (SRC) has issued notices to 633 taxpayers for understating taxable income, targeting businesses across various industries.

Among them are 172 construction companies, 102 trade enterprises, and hundreds more that allegedly used tax optimization schemes. Following the adjustment of financial reports, the state has already recovered 17 billion tenge in additional tax revenue.

Notably, major market players BI Group and BAZIS were among those who corrected their tax filings, highlighting the scale of the issue.

According to the Ministry of Finance, this crackdown is not a one-time measure but part of a broader effort to restore order in the tax system. The government aims to close loopholes that allow companies to minimize tax liabilities by using individual entrepreneurship and business fragmentation schemes.

The primary focus has been on construction and trade, two sectors where tax evasion is most prevalent.

However, the approach goes beyond enforcement. Authorities emphasize that dialogue with businesses remains a key component of tax reforms. Instead of relying solely on punitive measures, the SRC is working with companies to create transparent tax regulations and encourage voluntary compliance.

The market itself is showing readiness for change by participating in the development of digital solutions for automated tax administration,the committee stated. 

One of these initiatives in tax transparency is the expansion of automatic financial data exchange.

In 2024, Kazakhstan joined a data-sharing network with 89 jurisdictions, including 26 offshore zones. This enables tax authorities to track offshore accounts of Kazakhstani residents and enforce tax regulations more effectively. As a result, 5.4 billion tenge has already been collected through this mechanism. If earlier, transferring money abroad was one of the popular ways to evade taxes, now this channel is being blocked, the SRC explained. 

Another major step towards transparency is the integration of digital currency into the tax system. In Q4 2024, the SRC, in collaboration with the National Bank, launched a pilot project called Digital VAT.

This new mechanism significantly accelerates VAT refunds — reducing processing time from 55–75 days to just 15 working days, and in pilot cases, to 5 days without tax audits. This approach reduces corruption risks, improves cash flow, and makes the tax system predictable for businesses. In the future, such digitalization efforts will ease tax compliance for businesses while improving revenue collection without imposing additional economic pressure,the committee noted. 

The government insists that these reforms are designed to create a fair tax system, where large corporations can no longer hide income behind small-business schemes while SMEs operate in a more business-friendly tax environment.

According to the State Revenue Committee, Kazakhstan is moving towards tax transparency, focusing on technological solutions and constructive dialogue with the business community.

These measures are aimed at forming a balanced tax policy — where large enterprises contribute fairly, and small and medium-sized businesses receive the support they need to grow. This marks a shift towards a new model of state-business relations, where tax discipline drives sustainable economic growth,the department concluded. 

Recently, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov criticized businesses for exploiting tax loopholes, stating that companies with billion-dollar revenues were deliberately understating their tax burden. He demanded large firms amend their declarations and pay additional taxes within two weeks.

While BI Group initially denied the accusations, asserting that it fully complies with tax laws and undergoes regular audits, reports later confirmed that both BI Group and BAZIS had made additional tax payments.

Original Author: Maria Kravtsova