ASTANA – Kazakhstan maintains a more favorable environment for small and medium-sized businesses than Uzbekistan, despite ongoing discussions about tax reform. This opinion was expressed by Kazakh economist Aidarkhan Kusainov, according to Kursiv.kz.
According to him, the tax burden on entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan remains lower than in neighboring Uzbekistan, and the administrative system is characterized by greater digitalization, faster payments, and less bureaucratic pressure.
The expert noted that even after the liberalization of Uzbekistan's tax legislation, conditions for small businesses there remain more stringent. Specifically, Uzbekistan has a simplified VAT rate of 6%, while in Kazakhstan the turnover tax for small businesses is 4% and can be reduced to 2% at the regional level.
Kusainov also noted the significant difference in the thresholds for transitioning to the general tax regime: approximately 200 million tenge in Uzbekistan versus approximately 2.5 billion tenge in Kazakhstan.
According to the economist, the problem with the Kazakh economy is not related to tax rates, which remain among the lowest in the CIS, but to the underdevelopment of the manufacturing sector. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan remains one of the most attractive countries in the region in terms of tax policy and business conditions.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
June 4, 2026