An Astana International Financial Centre court has restricted mobile access to six major crypto platforms, including Coinbase.
A Kazakhstan court has issued injunctions against Coinbase, according to Coinfomania. The order forms part of a broader action targeting six major cryptocurrency exchanges operating in the country.
CryptoSlate reported that Kazakhstan has shut down mobile access to all six platforms named in the proceedings. UNLOCK Blockchain confirmed Coinbase is among the six platforms facing restrictions tied to the Astana International Financial Centre, known as the AIFC.
The AIFC operates as a distinct legal and regulatory zone within Kazakhstan. It was established to attract international financial services firms and runs under a separate court system based on English common law. Its courts have the authority to issue binding rulings on matters involving financial services activity connected to the centre.
Details on the specific legal basis for the injunctions were not included in the available reporting. It remains unclear whether the action stems from licensing requirements, consumer protection concerns, or another regulatory trigger. The identities of the other five exchanges named alongside Coinbase were also not fully specified across the available sources.
Restricting mobile access represents a notable enforcement method. Rather than issuing fines or revoking licenses, Kazakhstan authorities appear to be targeting the technical access point most commonly used by retail traders. Mobile applications have become the primary way everyday users interact with centralized exchanges, making this form of restriction especially consequential for day-to-day trading activity.
Coinbase has not issued a public statement addressing the Kazakhstan injunctions, based on the available reporting. The company operates in multiple jurisdictions worldwide and has faced varying degrees of regulatory scrutiny as governments develop frameworks for digital asset oversight.
Kazakhstan has positioned itself as an emerging hub for crypto-related activity in Central Asia in recent years, partly due to low energy costs that attracted cryptocurrency mining operations. The country has also worked to build out formal regulatory structures through the AIFC, aiming to balance industry growth with oversight. This latest court action suggests authorities are willing to take direct enforcement steps against established global exchanges operating within their borders.
Sources disagree on this story
This article was published before the reports below were compared. The reporting above stands; what follows is where the published accounts do not agree.
TronWeekly reports that Apple and Google were not issued court injunctions in Kazakhstan's AIFC crypto case, while CryptoSlate, UNLOCK and TheNewsCrypto report that orders were or will be sent to both companies and that they become bound by the order once served.
What all sources agree on
- The AIFC Court issued a judgment and injunctions dated September 15, 2026 against platforms operating without AFSA authorization.
- The order was amended on September 18, 2026 to remove LBank after the exchange independently blocked access for Kazakhstani users.
- The injunctions, as amended, cover BingX, Bitcoin.com, Huobi Global (HTX), BitMart, Coinbase and WEEX.
- The restrictions apply only within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and do not constitute a nationwide ban across Kazakhstan.
- AFSA issued warnings to more than 20 platforms in 2025 and began court proceedings against non-compliant platforms in early 2026.
- Nine platforms voluntarily restricted app access in Kazakhstan and had claims against them withdrawn by AFSA.
- Seven other platforms indicated intent to seek AFSA licensing.
Where the reports disagree
1Whether Apple and Google are themselves subject to binding court injunctions
AFSA plans to send Apple and Google September injunctions covering Coinbase and five other crypto-platform operators.
Apple and Google become bound by the order as if they were parties to the case once notice has been served on them. The order also allows them to seek a change or have it set aside after acknowledging service.
The court’s decision also concerns Google and Apple in their capacity as app-store operators, with the order addressing geographical restrictions on access to the named platforms. The regulator said the relevant court orders would be sent to the operators of Google Play and the Apple App Store.
The order extends beyond the platforms themselves. Google and Apple, as operators of the major app stores, are also covered; both are required to geographically restrict access to the listed platforms’ applications within the AIFC’s jurisdiction.
Nevertheless, the court did not deliver injunctions for those companies but suggested that AFSA discuss the matter with them first.
What would settle it: The AIFC Court's published order and any proof of service filed with the court, or AFSA's own statement confirming whether notice was served on Apple and Google.
2Total number of platforms named alongside Coinbase in the injunctions
Kazakhstan's AIFC Court issued injunctions against Coinbase and four others.
The injunctions affect BingX, Bitcoincom, HTX, BitMart, and WEEX.
A court in Kazakhstan has barred Coinbase and five other crypto platforms from providing digital-asset services without the required authorization within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), following enforcement proceedings brought by the financial regulator.
What would settle it: The AIFC Court's published order listing the named respondents.
What to make of it
Treat the September 15 injunction date, the September 18 amendment removing LBank, and the six named platforms as established; do not treat the legal status of Apple and Google — whether they are bound respondents or merely being consulted — as settled until AFSA or the AIFC Court confirms service of notice.
Market Impact
Restricted mobile access in Kazakhstan is unlikely to move global trading volumes meaningfully for an exchange the size of Coinbase, given the broader international user base the company serves. However, the action could signal a tightening posture toward foreign exchanges across Central Asian markets, a region that has grown in relevance for crypto mining and trading activity.
For the other five exchanges named in the injunctions, the practical impact will depend on how significant their Kazakhstan user bases are relative to global operations. The broader signal for the industry is that regulators are increasingly comfortable using targeted technical restrictions, rather than blanket bans, to enforce local compliance expectations.
The Kazakhstan court action against Coinbase and five other exchanges adds to a growing pattern of regional regulators asserting control over how global crypto platforms operate within their borders. Further details on the legal grounds and compliance requirements are likely to emerge as the AIFC proceedings continue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)?
The AIFC is a distinct financial and legal zone within Kazakhstan with its own court system based on English common law, created to regulate financial services activity including digital assets.
Which exchanges were affected by the Kazakhstan injunctions?
Coinbase was named among six major crypto exchanges facing restrictions, according to reporting, though the full list of the other five was not fully detailed across available sources.
What does the injunction actually restrict?
Reporting indicates the action has resulted in restricted mobile access to the named exchanges within Kazakhstan, rather than a broader ban on all platform activity.
Has Coinbase responded to the Kazakhstan court action?
No public statement from Coinbase addressing the injunctions was included in the available reporting.
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