Kazakhstan has taken a major leap in the digital finance arena with the launch of Central Asia’s first spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), set to begin trading on August 13 at the Astana International Exchange (AIX) under the ticker BETF.
Developed by Astana-based Fonte Capital, BETF offers investors regulated, physically backed exposure to Bitcoin, priced in U.S. dollars. Each share is backed by real Bitcoin, safeguarded by U.S.-regulated custodian BitGo Trust, which provides up to $250 million in insurance. The Bitcoin is stored securely in offline cold storage vaults to minimize hacking and counterparty risks.
Kazakhstan, already a global leader in Bitcoin mining since China’s 2021 ban, is positioning itself as the region’s most open crypto investment hub. The ETF is regulated by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which has built a robust legal framework for digital assets, enabling licensed exchanges, custodians, and investment products to operate with confidence.
BETF allows both institutional and retail investors to add Bitcoin to their portfolios without the need for private key management or navigating complex crypto exchanges. Its low expense ratio and in-kind settlement options aim to ensure efficient tracking of Bitcoin’s price.
By launching BETF, Kazakhstan joins the ranks of nations like the U.S., Canada, and Hong Kong that have embraced spot Bitcoin ETFs, opening new doors for foreign investment and integrating its markets into the global digital asset economy.
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