As mentioned in previous materials, the situation with digitalization in Kyrgyzstan has changed dramatically, and the country has returned to more traditional methods of payment. Many buyers, who were used to quickly paying for purchases via electronic wallets, are now faced with the demand: "Cash only!".
It is important to note that starting from 2026, the use of electronic wallets registered to individuals or their relatives is prohibited. Serious fines are imposed for transfers to personal numbers of sellers: 20,000 soms for individuals and 65,000 soms for legal entities. In addition, tax authorities can now directly deduct debts from electronic accounts.
After the release of our previous material, numerous comments appeared online, showing that not all entrepreneurs support these innovations. This may be due to the fact that the State Tax Service does not provide sufficient information about the new rules, leading to dissatisfaction and misunderstanding. We have gathered the main opinions that reflect the state of small business.
"I intend to switch completely to cash, I’m tired of constant taxes! Isn’t it enough for them? Now they want to take another 6% from the amount, where is the fairness?" - writes one commenter.
"Small businesses are not abandoning individual entrepreneur accounts out of a desire to hide income, but because of high bank fees on incoming transfers. If banks eliminated the fees, many would gladly open business accounts," notes one Kyrgyz woman.
Another entrepreneur supports her words, providing her calculations: "For internal transfers, banks charge 1% or 1.2%, and for transfers from other banks - 2%. Taxes are calculated on the principal amount, without taking these percentages into account. This leads to significant losses in taxes and fees."
Besides the financial aspect, there are issues with trust in banks and convenience of use: "Payments arrive at different times: sometimes immediately, sometimes the next day, and sometimes they don’t arrive at all on weekends. Tracking payment history is extremely difficult. There is no trust in banks - that’s the main problem, and the fees are the second. If the government forces banks to eliminate fees and ensure instant transfers, then everyone will switch to business accounts without any problems."
The discussion about the new rules on social media quickly escalated into disputes between supporters of the reform and entrepreneurs who provide specific examples.
"Now sellers at markets will have to open accounts or individual entrepreneur statuses and, accordingly, pay bank fees. Ultimately, this will lead to price increases, as has happened with cafes and restaurants," claims one user.
Other commenters counter her, pointing out that bank fees are not that high:
"What price increase? The fee is only 0.8% of the total amount. This is quite acceptable. We are working. And with MBankBusiness, transfers are free," adds Kanbek.
Nevertheless, entrepreneurs insist that the actual financial burden is significantly higher than it may seem.
"For example, if 30,000 soms are processed through the cash register in a day, then at the end of the month the tax will amount to about 41,000 soms. This is 30-35% of the net income of small entrepreneurs. This is only based on the cash register, not counting other taxes. Any reasonable person will be forced to raise prices to avoid operating at a loss," emphasizes another user.
Thus, there is a need for urgent and detailed clarifications from the State Tax Service of Kyrgyzstan. Entrepreneurs should not have to guess about the reforms; they need clear information about the essence of the reform "from the horse's mouth." Only open dialogue and clear instructions can help reduce tension in the business environment and prevent a mass shift of payments into the shadow economy.
