Foreign companies have contributed a total of approximately $77 million (₸34.8 billion) in ‘Google tax’, said Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliev during a government meeting, QazMonitor reports.
Effective January 1, 2023, the ‘Google tax’ or import tax applies to foreign companies engaged in the electronic trade of goods and the provision of services in electronic form to individuals.
The Minister disclosed that 60 foreign companies underwent conditional registration in 2023, collectively paying 34.8 billion tenge in taxes. In 2022, the amount was 16.4 billion tenge, and in 2023, it increased to 18.4 billion tenge.
Shakkaliev also highlighted Kazakhstan's expanding presence on major Chinese marketplaces, Alibaba and JD.com. As of the latest update, Alibaba features 7,500 goods, while JD.com boasts 30 varieties of goods, with over 1 million subscribers.
Moreover, the Republic of Kazakhstan hosts two of the largest Russian marketplaces, Ozon and Wildberries. At the close of 2023, Ozon recorded 45,400 registered Kazakh sellers, while Wildberries had 55,704.
