E-Commerce in Kazakhstan: An $8 Billion Market and the Dominance of Digital Platforms

When one looks at e-commerce figures across Central Asia, Kazakhstan stands out as a model worth examining. The market is no longer merely an additional shopping channel; it has become a driver that is reshaping consumer habits and opening new opportunities for businesses. According to data from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, the country’s e-commerce market reached 3.7 trillion tenge in 2025 — roughly $8 billion — recording growth of more than 50 percent over three years.

Market growth and platform dominance

The market expanded from 2.4 trillion tenge in 2023 to 3.7 trillion tenge in 2025. Over the same period, the share of e-commerce in total retail trade rose from 12.7 percent to 14.3 percent. Digital platforms accounted for 86 percent of online retail sales, reflecting the central role these platforms now play in the market. Leading platforms include Kaspi.kz, Ozon, Wildberries, Halyk Market and Forte Market.

Shifting consumer behaviour

The figures also point to a clear shift in consumer behaviour. In 2025, phones and electronic devices formed the largest category of platform sales at 17.1 percent, followed by clothing, footwear and sporting goods at 12.4 percent, home and garden products at 12.1 percent, household appliances at 10.3 percent, and food products at 7.4 percent. Together these five categories accounted for roughly 59.3 percent of total platform sales. Online purchases are no longer limited to discretionary or specialised goods; they now include everyday needs, indicating that e-commerce has become integrated into daily consumption.

Delivery expectations and e-grocery

This expansion has been accompanied by a change in delivery expectations. For certain product categories, express delivery services now aim to fulfil orders in less than one hour. The e-grocery segment is also expanding as platforms and retailers develop infrastructure designed to support shorter delivery times.

Dark-store logistics projects

As part of logistics development, five dark-store projects were launched in 2025 in Astana, Almaty, Karaganda and Aktobe. These facilities operate as centres for fulfilling online orders rather than traditional retail outlets, allowing goods to be stored closer to customers and prepared more quickly. Platforms also installed 2,300 new parcel lockers. The expansion of the dark-store model reveals that competition in e-commerce is no longer solely about product range and prices; it is increasingly tied to the speed of order fulfilment and the proximity of distribution centres to the consumer.

Analytically, this growth reflects Kazakhstan’s ability to transform e-commerce from an emerging channel into an integrated sector. Digital platforms are not only changing how people shop; they are reshaping supply chains and opening new markets for small and medium-sized enterprises. Yet the fact that platforms account for 86 percent of sales can be read in two ways. On one hand, it demonstrates their efficiency in organising the market and providing a consistent consumer experience. On the other, it points to a high degree of concentration of sales within a limited number of platforms. This concentration raises legitimate questions about competition and market diversity over the longer term.

Economic opportunities and challenges

This expansion can support broader economic activity by creating jobs in logistics, delivery and digital services, and by improving access for local products to consumers across the country. At the same time, it remains exposed to challenges such as the reliability of internet services in remote areas, delivery costs, and competition from international platforms. Continued growth will also depend on the capacity of logistics infrastructure to keep pace with rising demand, particularly outside the major cities.

In conclusion, the question for Kazakhstan is no longer whether e-commerce will continue to grow, but how the structure of that growth will evolve. Sustained expansion will depend on the market’s ability to improve logistics, extend digital access beyond the major cities, and maintain an environment that allows competition alongside the dominance of the large platforms. The figures point to a clear upward trend, yet the quality of that trend will determine whether growth remains concentrated within the platform model or opens the way to a more diverse and inclusive market.