Starting from January 18, 2026, updated regulations regarding the detention of cash at the border of the Eurasian Economic Union will be introduced in Kazakhstan. These changes were approved by the order of the Minister of Finance on December 30, 2025, and are aimed at combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. According to this document, the state revenue authorities will act based on information provided by law enforcement and financial services, as reported by Lada.kz, citing zakon.kz.
What's new in the rules
The updated order includes changes to the existing Rules for the detention (suspension) of cash or monetary instruments, which are applied in cases where information is received from authorized bodies.
In particular, the title of the document has been changed and expanded, highlighting the state's more detailed approach to financial monitoring at the customs border.
Now this document is officially called:
Rules for the detention (suspension) of cash or monetary instruments transported across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union, upon receiving information from law enforcement agencies or an authorized body regarding a possible connection to money laundering, terrorism financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Interaction with law enforcement agencies
The new document emphasizes that the state revenue authorities operate in cooperation with:
law enforcement agencies;the authorized body for financial monitoring. This cooperation is aimed at preventing:money laundering;terrorism financing;financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The detention or suspension of the movement of cash and monetary instruments across the EAEU border becomes one of the main tools in this fight.
Conditions for the detention of cash
The document clarifies that detention measures can only be applied based on information received:
from law enforcement agencies;from the authorized body for financial monitoring.
This applies to cases where there are suspicions of a possible connection between the transported funds and illegal financial activities, including financing terrorist and extremist groups.
Reference to international obligations
The new rules emphasize that when detaining cash, the state revenue authorities must take into account Kazakhstan's international obligations.
In particular, they are required to adhere to the Treaty on combating the legalization (laundering) of criminal proceeds, the financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, which applies when transporting cash and instruments across the Customs Union border.
This treaty was ratified by the Law "On the Ratification of the Treaty on Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds from Crime and the Financing of Terrorism when Transporting Cash or Monetary Instruments across the Customs Border of the Customs Union".
Date of entry into force of the changes
The order of the Minister of Finance will come into force on January 18, 2026. From this moment, the updated regulations for the detention of cash and monetary instruments will begin to be applied in the practical activities of customs and financial authorities.
