Solana Company to back Kazakhstan’s $6B crypto megacity ambition

Solana Company to back Kazakhstan’s $6B crypto megacity ambition

Nasdaq-listed Solana Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kazakhstan's Alatau City, which seeks to become a key crypto hub in Central Asia.

The village of Zhetygen, pictured in March 2023, before it was designated a city and renamed to Alatau. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Planners envision it as a fully integrated smart city with low-altitude aircraft, robotaxis and autonomous drones handling urban transportation and deliveries, with hydrogen energy powering its economy.

During the Solana Summit Kazakhstan 2026, Arman Tastanbekov, deputy CEO of the Alatau City Authority, said that Alatau City would be built with artificial intelligence, digital identity and blockchain technology from the beginning.

It hasn’t come without its challengers, however, with Kazakhstan’s National Bank and Financial Monitoring Agency reportedly expressing concerns about the constitutional changes required to support a crypto-based economy, The Diplomat reported in March.

Other independent news reports suggest that the current residents of Alatau City are still dealing with a lack of gas, water, electricity and internet connectivity, suggesting the futuristic city is still far from reality.

Cointelegraph reached out to Alatau City for comment.

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