The village of Zhetygen, pictured in March 2023, before it was designated a city and renamed to Alatau. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Planners envision it as a fully integrated smart city with low-altitude aircraft, robotaxis and autonomous drones handling urban transportation and deliveries, with hydrogen energy powering its economy.
During the Solana Summit Kazakhstan 2026, Arman Tastanbekov, deputy CEO of the Alatau City Authority, said that Alatau City would be built with artificial intelligence, digital identity and blockchain technology from the beginning.
It hasn’t come without its challengers, however, with Kazakhstan’s National Bank and Financial Monitoring Agency reportedly expressing concerns about the constitutional changes required to support a crypto-based economy, The Diplomat reported in March.
Other independent news reports suggest that the current residents of Alatau City are still dealing with a lack of gas, water, electricity and internet connectivity, suggesting the futuristic city is still far from reality.
Cointelegraph reached out to Alatau City for comment.
Magazine: Bitcoin slides to $58K, XRP hits $1 but onchain data promising: Market Moves
More on the subject