Kazpost driving e-commerce and SPS growth across Central Asia

Strategic position for e-commerce and SPS growth

Kazpost’s SPS growth has been helped by Kazakhstan’s dual advantage as Central Asia’s largest economy and its strategic location along the Silk Road, linking Asia and Europe. This economic and geographic position has helped transform Kazakhstan to a rising e-commerce logistics hub both regionally and worldwide. The country is well suited to e-commerce expansion, with internet penetration reaching 93% of the population, one of the highest rates in Asia.

Kazakhstan’s government has set a goal to increase e-commerce’s share of total retail trade to 20% by 2030. This has been supported by recent government development programmes with a focus on expanding its transportation and logistics infrastructure, strengthening payment channels, and pursuing digital transformation initiatives. As a result, e-commerce is booming with a significant share of incoming traffic originating from online marketplaces. The government’s vision for the postal sector provides a supportive environment for e-commerce and SPS growth, with Kazpost recognized as a national commercial and infrastructure asset. 

Going the last mile

Despite increasing in urbanization, Kazakhstan remains a very large land mass with significant portions of the populations living in remote and isolated areas. In this context, a unique strength is Kazpost’s nationwide network which provides access to e-commerce but also to financial and government services to a widely dispersed population, supporting financial and social inclusion.

With a network of over 2,400 post offices, Kazpost plays a critical role in enabling internet-based retail by facilitating nationwide delivery. This is further strengthened by Kazakhstan’s comprehensive address infrastructure, which supports efficient and reliable last-mile delivery across the country.

Integrated services strengthening market position

Kazpost’s market position is strengthened by its ability to adapt to evolving e-commerce demands, integrating logistics, payments, and data, and modernizing customs processes. By combining investment with corporate autonomy, fiscal and operational discipline, strategic partnerships, and aggressive marketing, it has competed successfully in a highly competitive market. 

Kazpost is rapidly digitizing the three legs of e-commerce: logistics, payments, and data, while offering a broad range of commercial and government services through its website, social platforms, and media channels. These include financial services (such as payment cards and digital payments), agency services, government outreach (e.g. pension distribution), logistics solutions, customs facilitation and parcel lockers. The QazPost Super App serves as a central access point for these services (pictured).

Kazpost commercial strategy - adapting to the market

Kazpost is pursuing a range of initiatives to strengthen its competitiveness in inbound international e-commerce and SPS. These include streamlining customs procedures, adopting automated sorting and robotics, and enhancing last-mile delivery using AI and advanced analytics. The company is also advancing its digital transformation through strategic partnerships with high-tech companies such as Toshiba. 

At the same time, Kazpost is investing resources in infrastructure modernization and expansion, including the development of full-cycle logistics centres in three cities and a bonded warehouse to reinforce its role as a regional and international transit hub. Additionally, Kazpost is actively building partnerships, with memoranda of understanding in place with multiple designated operators, and has recently launched a Central Asia alliance that brings together regional operators alongside major Chinese logistics and cargo transport firms.

Innovation and sustainability are important components of Kazpost’s strategy. Under the UPU Quality of Service Fund (QSF), which supports developing countries in implementing projects aimed at improving service quality, Kazpost has received approval to acquire new electric vehicles and bicycles. These eco-friendly solutions will strengthen last-mile delivery capabilities, improve operational efficiency, and contribute to faster and more reliable delivery services for customers.

The modernization of the delivery fleet is expected to enhance service quality, particularly in urban areas where speed, flexibility, and environmental considerations are becoming increasingly important. Combined with ongoing investments in digital technologies, tracking systems, and operational processes, these improvements will further strengthen SPS Kazpost’s ability to meet the demands of the rapidly growing e-commerce market.