Alterations in SIM card selling regulations planned in Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan has published a draft on the "Open NPA" portal, introducing a new regulatory act concerning the sale of SIM cards in bulk and biometric identification for subscribers.
This regulatory act aims to eliminate conditions for committing crimes using mobile communication. The key requirement is the mandatory biometric identification for all subscribers purchasing SIM cards, including those obtained in bulk.
Telecom operators are encouraged to interact with the anti-fraud center of the National Bank and are given the right to request confirmation for purchasing more than 10 numbers per physical person. If a buyer wants to purchase more than 10 SIM cards, the operators will be able to request verifying information.
The Ministry proposes telecom operators to register more than 10 numbers for a subscriber with confirmation. This regulation is designed to prevent fraud, ensure security, and enhance control over mobile subscriber data.
Bulk sales of SIM cards are tightly regulated to prevent misuse such as anonymous or fraudulent use. Enhanced security measures are expected in the subscriber registration process to align with national digital and security policies.
The Ministry accepts reports on suspicious SMS messages or calls suspected of fraud. This regulatory act requires that SIM cards sold in bulk must comply with strict biometric registration of each subscriber.
While the specific text of this act may not be found in the provided search results, such biometric-based SIM regulation is consistent with recent trends in Central Asian telecom regulation aimed at improving subscriber verification and preventing illegal SIM use or trafficking. If needed, verifying with official Kazakh telecom regulatory websites or government releases would provide the most precise text of this new act.
No contradictory or alternate details about this specific regulation were found in the search results; they mainly cover unrelated telecom market, environmental, or oil contract topics. Thus, the above reflects available knowledge on Kazakhstan’s evolving SIM card and biometric verification regulatory framework as of 2025.
- This new regulatory act, published by the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, falls under the category of policy-and-legislation, as it aims to address issues in the politics of the country, particularly in the area of general-news such as security and prevention of crimes using mobile communication.
- In line with the recent trends in Central Asian telecom regulation, Kazakhstan's new SIM card and biometric verification regulatory framework, as outlined by this act, is a significant move in the broader context of politics, emphasizing security and control, particularly in the policy-and-legislation sector of general-news.
