AKIPRESS.COM - The National Bank of Kazakhstan vows to ban the domestic banks to keep their equity capital abroad, said chief of the Bank Kairat Kelimbetov speaking the Wednesday CCS media briefing in Almaty.

The National Bank of Kazakhstan will set a requirement for domestic banks to keep 70% of their equity capital inside the country.

"This is expected to bring over $1.3 billion back to Kazakhstan," said deputy chairman of the Bank Kuat Kozhakhmetov to Tengri News.

Mr. Kelimbetov emphasized that the requirement would be applied to all Kazakhstan-based banks, excepting Kazkommertsbank and Halyk Banks, starting from October 1. “After a while, the measure will also be applied to these two banks as well,” he said.

The equity capitals and funds that the banks get from Kazakhstan citizens in deposits, should stay in here, but the banks can choose for themselves whether to keep the money in tenge or in dollars, he continued.

Vice-Governor Kozhakhmetov elaborated that the citizens' deposits in the banks totalled at $24 billion, which, according to Governor Kelimbetov, amounted to 12% of Kazakhstan's GDP.