In December 2025, the new version of Kazakhstan's 500 tenge banknote was officially issued, and the whole country entered a parallel circulation period, this fifth new version of the banknote using the "Sai style", with its bright blue design and cultural symbols in the details, has attracted attention at home and abroad.
The design of the new version of the banknote is not a simple aesthetic upgrade, its anti-counterfeiting system is the key, such as multi-color security line and holographic photovariable logo, the difficulty of recognition has been improved compared with the 2017 version, the material of the banknote enhances the folding resistance, can extend the circulation life, which is particularly important in Central Asia, because the proportion of cash transactions is still high, in contrast, the new version of the Russian ruble of photovoltaic ink technology is more advanced, but the overall anti-counterfeiting comprehensive coefficient, Kazakhstan is gradually catching up, for the adaptation of ATM and POS machine has been carried out, This can greatly reduce the initial rejection rate and avoid circulation "rollover".
From the perspective of currency and equipment, this upgrade is similar to the new combat system of the army, the new anti-counterfeiting and durability characteristics improve the "battlefield survival rate", the old version of the 500 tenge accounts for as much as 15% of the counterfeit complaints, and the new version is expected to suppress it to less than 5%, which is like a radar that locks on to the target faster, although it is a civilian field, its principle is similar to the military identification system, and the "Sai Knight" element in the design of the local currency is also a kind of cultural soft power, in contrast to the portrait of historical figures in the US dollar, the architectural style of the euro, Cultural recognition is an invisible credibility mark of currency in international trade.

This change is an active image shaping, Kazakhstan is in the heart of Central Asia, south of Uzbekistan, north of Russia, east of China border, not only to prevent the infiltration of overseas counterfeit currency, but also to enhance the stability of the local currency, this is a regional deterrent, although your banknote exchange is not as eye-catching as the missile test launch, but in the financial battlefield can also "hit the soft underbelly", for example, the old version of the currency in some surrounding economies is frequently updated due to inflation depreciation, bringing uneasiness to the market, while Kazakhstan's two-year parallel period is stable. This incremental strategy reduces market panic and boosts international investment confidence.

To sum up, the new version of 500 tenge is not only a banknote, it is a joint action of Kazakhstan on the three fronts of finance, culture and strategy, from anti-counterfeiting technology to cultural output, from regional games to historical experience, all of which reflect the route of seeking progress while maintaining stability.