The article discusses the prospects and key challenges of introducing the digital tenge in the Aktobe region in the context of the transformation of the national payment system and the development of digital financial technologies. Analytical attention is focused on assessing the current state of the regional digital and payment infrastructure, as well as analyzing the dynamics of cashless payments as an indicator of the readiness of the economy and the population to use a new form of national currency. A significant place in the study is occupied by the study of the degree of readiness of various socio-demographic groups to adopt the digital tenge, taking into account differences in the level of digital literacy, access to financial services and the nature of consumer behavior. A separate analytical section is devoted to the identification and systematization of socio-economic constraints affecting the implementation of the central bank's digital currency. In particular, the problem of the digital divide between urban and rural areas is being considered, due to the uneven development of telecommunications infrastructure and differences in access to a stable Internet connection. Additionally, the level of institutional and behavioral public confidence in innovative financial instruments is analyzed, including the perception of risks associated with personal data protection, cybersecurity, and money security. The empirical basis of the study was the official statistical data of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Bureau of National Statistics, on the basis of which a comprehensive assessment of the region's potential as a pilot site for the subsequent scaling of the digital tenge project at the national level was carried out. The results of the analysis revealed both the institutional advantages of the region associated with the high level of penetration of cashless payments in urban agglomerations, and the systemic risks that persist in less developed areas. In the final part of the article, practice-oriented recommendations are formulated aimed at improving the level of financial and digital literacy of the population, as well as minimizing the risks associated with cyber threats and fraud. The implementation of the proposed measures is considered as a necessary condition for the formation of a sustainable model for the introduction of digital tenge, ensuring a balance between technological innovation, social inclusion and trust from the population of the region.

IMANBAYEVA Z.O.

Candidate of economic sciences, associate professor, K. Zhubanov Aktobe regional university, Aktobe, Kazakhstan

Е-mail: zimanbayeva@zhubanov.edu.kz, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6604-4135

NURALY N.K.

Master's student, K. Zhubanov Aktobe regional university, Aktobe, Kazakhstan

Е-mail: nuralynurbek48@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7596-6756

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