Kazakhstan has officially launched Central Asia’s first Solana Economic Zone (SEZ). The new zone was introduced during the 2025 International Forum in Kazakhstan and follows through on the country’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Solana Foundation, the non-profit organization behind the Solana network.
Solana $SOL also has a similar initiative in Dubai to foster blockchain innovation and cross-border collaboration in the UAE.
The SEZ will be a testing ground for blockchain pilots, startup incubation, and international collaboration. The zone is modeled after successful initiatives like the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), which supports the growth of digital assets through regulatory clarity and infrastructure support.
Kazakhstan plans to launch a tokenized capital markets pilot involving the Astana International Exchange (AIX), Jupiter, Intebix, and the Solana Foundation as part of the broader MOU with the Solana Foundation. This pilot aims to integrate tokenized assets into Kazakhstan’s financial markets, laying the groundwork for a blockchain-powered financial system. The partnership will introduce a national developer education program focused on Rust and blockchain engineering. This initiative is designed to build local Web3 expertise and attract global blockchain firms with incentives such as regulatory guidance and infrastructure access.
In the short video provided, Lily Liu, the president of Solana Foundation ,explained that the foundation has been looking for partners to work with in order to advance societies and build innovation that would also serve to increase the adoption of #Web3 technology.
