As of July 1, 2005, license on the issue of payment cards was given to 20 of second-tier banks and JSC «Kazpost», practically issue of payment cards realise only 19 banks. Second-tier banks issue payment cards of local systems: Altyn card – by JSC «Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan» and JSC «ATF Bank»; SmartAlemCard – by JSC «Bank TuranAlem»; DUET card – by JSC «Valut-Tranzit Bank»; cards of JSC «Caspian Bank», JSC «Citybank Kazakhstan» and JSC «Tsesnabank». Also commercial banks of Kazakhstan issue and distribute payment cards of international systems: VISA International, Europay International, American Express International and Diners Club International.

As of July 1, 2005, the number of cards, issued by banks of Kazakhstan, was 2.76 million, the number of card holders was 2.63 million (growth - by 30.8% and 27.4% respectively, in comparison with the same period of the last year)[1]. As the most widespread cards, the cards of international payment systems have the share of 86.7% and the local cards – 13.3% respectively. As of July 1, 2004 this ratio was 86.8% and 13.2% correspondingly.

In June 2005 value of transactions using payment cards issued by banks of Kazakhstan was KZT 73.7 billion (60.3% growth in comparison with the same period of the previous year). You can observe advanced growth of the value of cashless payments (by 3.5 times to KZT 5.8 billion) in comparison with growth of the value of cash withdrawal transactions (by 53.2% to KZT 67.9 billion). In June 2005 volume of transactions was KZT 4.3 million transactions (growth - by 40.6% in comparison with the same period of the last year). You can observe advanced growth of the volume of cashless payments (by 3.3 times to 476.1 thousand transactions) in comparison with growth of the volume of cash withdrawal transactions (by 31.3% to 3.9 million transactions).