Kazakhstani investors will have simplified access to settling securities transactions on the stock exchanges of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Egypt.
The Central Securities Depository JSC (hereinafter – KCSD) announces the opening of a custody account with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), one of the leading financial institutions in the Middle East.
Through KCSD’s account with FAB, Kazakhstani investors will be able to settle transactions in securities traded on the stock markets of the six countries mentioned above, as well as to record and hold these securities. Access to a broad range of investment instruments available in these markets opens new opportunities for portfolio diversification and entry into the region’s rapidly developing economies.
Available instruments
Within the KCSD account at FAB, the following types of financial instruments are available for settlement:
• Equities
• Government bonds
• Corporate bonds
• Sukuk (Islamic debt instruments)
• ETFs (exchange-traded funds)
The availability of specific securities is confirmed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with standard compliance procedures.Settlements are conducted on a T+1 basis, ensuring reliable transaction processing and efficient post-trade servicing. Previously, KCSD clients could access instruments in the region only through a chain of foreign intermediaries, which involved additional financial and time costs.
Settlement currencies
Opening a direct KCSD account with FAB will simplify existing securities settlement schemes and improve their efficiency. Investors will be able to settle transactions in nine currencies, covering both regional MENA currencies and major global reserve currencies: AED – UAE dirham, SAR – Saudi riyal, KWD – Kuwaiti dinar, OMR – Omani rial, BHD – Bahraini dinar, EGP – Egyptian pound, USD – US dollar, EUR – euro, GBP – pound sterling.
“Opening an account with First Abu Dhabi Bank is an important step in the KCSD’s strategy to build a regional settlement hub. KCSD has already established extensive inter-depository links; however, the Middle East region had not been directly accessible until now. The opening of the FAB account closes this gap. Direct connectivity reduces the chain of intermediaries, which for professional market participants means lower transaction costs, and for Kazakhstani investors – expanded investment opportunities,” — Yedil Medeu, Chairman of the Management Board of KCSD.
Background:
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is the largest bank in the UAE and one of the most significant financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa region. The bank serves as a key intermediary and custodian for international investors operating in MENA markets and maintains an extensive correspondent network covering more than 50 countries.
The Central Securities Depository (KCSD) is a key infrastructure organization of Kazakhstan’s financial market in the field of post-trade services. KCSD has been providing services for over 28 years. As of December 2025, the number of investor brokerage accounts opened within KCSD’s system reached nearly 5 million.
To date, KCSD has established correspondent relationships (inter-depository links) with international depositories including Clearstream Banking, Euroclear Bank, Bank of New York Mellon, as well as with foreign depositories in countries such as Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and others. KCSD is a member of the WFC Council, Association of Central Securities Depositories of Asia (ACG), Eurasian Central Securities Depositories Association (AECSD), European Central Securities Depositories Association (ECSDA).