Kazakhstan accumulates the majority of foreign investment in Central Asia. According to international estimates, more than two-thirds of all investments in the region are concentrated in the country's economy, and the volume of accumulated investments exceeds half of the national GDP.
WHAT IS THE TOTAL VOLUME OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT
As reported by MIA "Kazinform" citing the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) "World Investment Report," accumulated foreign direct investment (FDI) in Kazakhstan's economy in 2024 amounted to $151.3 billion.
This indicator reflects the value of enterprises, production projects, equipment, and other assets created by foreign investors in the country.
According to the United Nations, Kazakhstan's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024 was $291.5 billion. Thus, the volume of foreign capital is equivalent to approximately 51.9% of the country's GDP.
HOW MUCH INVESTMENT IS CONCENTRATED IN CENTRAL ASIA
The combined GDP of the four other Central Asian states in 2024 was around $215 billion.
The total volume of accumulated foreign investment in their economies reached $69.3 billion.
Comparing these figures, foreign capital in Kazakhstan's economy is more than double the combined figure for neighbouring countries. As a result, 68.6% of all foreign investment in the Central Asia region is concentrated in Kazakhstan.
HOW DOES KAZAKHSTAN COMPARE TO OTHER COUNTRIES
The UNCTAD report also provides data on other post-Soviet economies.
Accumulated foreign investment in Russia in 2024 amounted to approximately $216 billion, but its economy is significantly larger — GDP reached $2.17 trillion, meaning the share of foreign capital is roughly 10%.
In the Baltic states, the figures are higher in relative terms:
- Estonia — 73.9% of GDP,
- Latvia — 55.2%,
- Lithuania — 40.9%.
The combined GDP of the three Baltic countries is around $171.4 billion, and the volume of accumulated investment is $97.5 billion.
For comparison, Kazakhstan's economy has a GDP of $291.5 billion and $151.3 billion in accumulated investment.
HOW HAS THE INVESTMENT DYNAMICS CHANGED
According to the UNCTAD report, the volume of foreign investment in Kazakhstan's economy has grown significantly over the past two decades.
- 2000 — $10.1 billion in accumulated FDI.
- 2010 — $63.4 billion.
- 2023 — $157.6 billion.
By 2023, Kazakhstan had become one of the largest investment hubs in the post-Soviet space. During this period, the volume of foreign capital in the country's economy was:
- 5.1 times greater than in Estonia;
- 6.7 times greater than in Latvia;
- 4.8 times greater than in Lithuania.
In Russia, the figure was $255 billion, which was approximately 1.6 times higher than Kazakhstan's level.
HOW MUCH DOES KAZAKHSTAN INVEST ABROAD
The report also provides data on Kazakhstan's outward investments.
- 2000 — around $0.7 billion in investments abroad.
- 2010 — $4.9 billion.
- 2023–2024 — around $17–18 billion.
Thus, foreign investment in Kazakhstan's economy is approximately 8–9 times greater than the investments of Kazakhstani companies abroad. This shows that the country remains a net importer of capital.
KAZAKHSTAN'S ECONOMIC INDICATORS
According to official data as of November 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated GDP per capita in Kazakhstan at $14.77 thousand.
This figure was higher than:
- Russia — $14.26 thousand.;
- Georgia — $9.57 thousand.;
- Armenia — $8.86 thousand.;
- China — $13.69 thousand.
Thus, data from international organisations show that Kazakhstan remains the main centre for attracting foreign investment in Central Asia, and the volume of accumulated foreign capital in the country's economy exceeds $151 billion.