Kazakhstan is planning to tighten the rules for accruing state bonuses on housing deposits. The relevant changes are being considered by Otbasy Bank, reports the website infohub.kz.
As a reminder, Kazakh citizens who save money on housing deposits at Otbasy Bank receive an annual state bonus. It is calculated on the amount deposited during the year, but not exceeding 20% of 200 monthly calculation indices. For example, in 2026 the maximum bonus was 157,280 tenge, and in 2027 it will be 173,000 tenge.
However, the rules may soon change significantly. As reported by the portal "Krysha," Otbasy Bank is considering changing the payment procedure. In particular, it is proposed to deprive depositors who stop saving on housing deposits of the state bonus. If a depositor closes the deposit and withdraws the money, the entire state bonus received will be returned to the budget. Currently, the bonus can be withdrawn if the deposit has been held for three years.
In addition, it is planned to limit the payment period to the moment of obtaining a mortgage. Currently, the state bonus continues to accrue after obtaining a mortgage, until the client transitions to a housing loan. That is, payments continue while the borrower is in the stage of intermediate or preliminary loans. The change would cancel the state bonus immediately after obtaining a mortgage.
Chairman of the Board of the Bank Lyazzat Ibragimova emphasized that these proposals are under consideration. If they are adopted, the new rules will apply only to new deposits, while existing deposits will continue to operate under the old rules.
Also under consideration is the possibility of paying the state bonus not only from the state budget, but also from Otbasy Bank's dividends.
It should be noted that tightening the rules for paying the state bonus has been discussed before. In particular, there was talk of canceling the bonus for those who changed their mind about buying housing.
As a reminder, Kazakhstan has also expanded the system of housing construction savings (HCS) and allowed second-tier banks to participate. However, unlike Otbasy Bank, they do not provide state bonuses.