Kazakhstan has set maximum annual effective interest rates for auto leasing contracts, with the ceiling depending on the vehicle's price and reaching as high as 46% per year, infohub.kz reports.
The limits are laid out in an order issued by the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The auto leasing program for individuals was launched in the country at the end of 2025, and the maximum rates that companies leasing out cars may charge are now known.
Under the order, the maximum annual effective interest rate varies by the price of the vehicle. For cars costing no more than 20 million tenge, it must not exceed 36% per year. For vehicles priced above 20 million tenge, the cap is 46% per year. If the lessor is a bank, the maximum rate is limited to 35% per year.
Beyond the interest rate itself, the total amount paid by the customer will include an application review fee and an initial down payment. In addition, vehicle maintenance and other possible costs fall entirely on the customer. A penalty is provided for violating the terms of the contract.
Auto leasing works as follows: the company buys the car and hands it over to the customer for temporary use, the individual pays for the vehicle over a set period, and when the contract ends the motorist has two options — return the vehicle to the lessor or buy it out at its residual value.
It was initially expected that the mechanism would become a profitable alternative to car loans. In the end, however, auto leasing did not gain popularity among the population: for most citizens it proved unaffordable.