Kazakhstan’s business landscape is expanding at a remarkable pace. According to the Bureau of National Statistics, as of September 1, 2025, nearly 550,000 legal entities are registered in the country, with over 428,000 actively operating. The number of individual entrepreneurs has surpassed 1.89 million, and about 1.8 million of them are currently running their businesses. Overall, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has reached 2.37 million, of which 2.17 million are active.
This rapid growth is reshaping the foundation of the economy. Over the past decade, the number of legal entities has jumped by nearly 49% – from 360,000 in 2015 to more than 536,000 in 2024, with an average annual growth of 4.5%. Most of this expansion comes from small businesses, which have been growing steadily by around 4.6% every year. Medium and large companies have grown less consistently, with occasional declines in some years, but the overall trend in recent years has turned positive again.
Short-term dynamics also show strength. In August 2025, the number of registered legal entities rose by 0.4% compared to July, and by 2.3% year-on-year. Active companies grew by 2.1% over the year. The highest business concentration remains in major cities: almost 28% of all legal entities are based in Almaty, 20% in Astana, and 5% in Shymkent. The fewest are located in Ulytau, Zhetisu, and Abai regions.
By sector, almost one-third of all legal entities operate in wholesale and retail trade and auto repair – about 26.9% of the total. Construction ranks second (13.4%), followed by various service activities (10.1%). Together, these three sectors account for about half of all companies in the country. This structure shows how trade and construction remain the main entry points for starting a business in Kazakhstan.
Individual entrepreneurship is growing even faster. Over the past year, the number of registered sole proprietors rose by nearly 7%, while the number of active ones grew by 7.3%. In August alone, their number increased by 1.3%. Most sole proprietors are concentrated in trade (36.6%), services (15.6%), and agriculture (13.5%), which together make up nearly two-thirds of all individual entrepreneurs. This shows how small-scale entrepreneurship has become the main source of income and employment for millions of Kazakh citizens.
Branch networks and foreign-linked businesses are also expanding. There are now about 30,500 branches and representative offices in Kazakhstan, with over 22,000 actively operating. Many are owned by foreign companies or set up as joint ventures. Most are located in Almaty, Astana, and Karaganda region. The leading sectors are services (41%), trade (13%), and professional, scientific, and technical activities (7%). Interest from foreign investors is growing too: the number of companies with foreign ownership increased by 6% over the past year. Most are from Russia, Uzbekistan, China, Turkey, and Kyrgyzstan.
Small businesses remain the backbone of Kazakhstan’s enterprise sector. About 98% of all legal entities are small companies. There are about 6,800 medium-sized and only around 2,500 large companies. This is typical for emerging economies, where small businesses generate the majority of jobs and respond quickly to market shifts.
The total number of SMEs has surpassed 2.37 million. Of these, 69% are sole proprietors, 20% are small legal entities, and 10% are farms. Most SMEs operate in trade (35.2%), services (13.8%), and agriculture (12.1%). Regionally, Almaty, Astana, and Turkistan region lead the way – together they host almost a third of all SMEs in the country.
This steady expansion is creating a critical mass for future economic growth. A large base of business entities means more jobs and incomes, a broader tax base, stronger competition, revitalized markets, and the rise of a new entrepreneurial class. Challenges remain – uneven distribution of businesses across regions, heavy concentration in trade, and a shortage of medium and large companies. But the overall trend is clear: Kazakhstan is rapidly transforming into a nation of entrepreneurs.
Lina Yegil kizi, expert of the portal EconomyKZ.org
