From January 18, new rules for the detention of cash at the EAEU border are being introduced.

Starting from January 18, 2026, Kazakhstan will update the rules regarding the detention of cash at the border of the Eurasian Economic Union. These changes were approved by the order of the Minister of Finance on December 30, 2025, and are aimed at combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. According to the new regulations, state revenue authorities will rely on information from law enforcement and financial services, as reported by Lada.kz, citing zakon.kz.

What's New in the Rules

The order introduces changes to the existing Rules for the Detention of Cash and Monetary Instruments, which are applied when receiving information from authorized and law enforcement agencies.

In particular, the title of the document has been expanded to reflect a more detailed approach to financial monitoring at the customs border.

Now the rules will be called:

Rules for the Detention (Suspension) of Cash or Monetary Instruments Being Moved Across the Customs Border of the Eurasian Economic Union Upon Receiving Information from Law Enforcement Agencies or an Authorized Body Regarding Possible Involvement in Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Interaction of State Revenue Authorities

The document emphasizes that state revenue authorities work together:

with law enforcement agencies; with authorized bodies for financial monitoring. This cooperation is aimed at countering: the legalization (laundering) of criminal proceeds; terrorism financing; the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

A key tool in this fight will be the detention or suspension of the movement of cash across the EAEU border.

Conditions for Detaining Cash

It is specified that measures for detention can only be taken based on information from:

law enforcement agencies; an authorized body for financial monitoring.

This applies to cases where there is data on a possible connection of the transferred funds with illegal financial activities, including the financing of terrorist and extremist groups.

International Obligations on Which the New Rules Are Based

The updated rules state that when detaining cash or monetary instruments, state revenue authorities must adhere to Kazakhstan's international obligations.

In particular, this concerns the Treaty on Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminal Proceeds, Terrorism Financing, and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction When Moving Cash Across the Customs Union Border.

This treaty was ratified by the Law "On the Ratification of the Treaty on Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds Obtained by Criminal Means and Terrorism Financing."

Date of Entry into Force of the Changes

The order of the Minister of Finance comes into force on January 18, 2026. From that moment, the new rules for the detention of cash and monetary instruments will be applied in the work of customs and financial authorities.