In short: Suits receiving transfers from Russia without opening an account. If you have ties to the EU or the UK, take the sanctions into account: the website lists no Visa or Mastercard cards, and terms for non-residents are not published.
Terms for non-residents
- Non-residents
- Limited
- Remote account opening
- Check with the bank
- Visa / Mastercard
- Check with the bank
- Russian-language support
- Yes
- Founded
- 1994 (established on 1 August 1994 as the investment joint-stock commercial bank Akyl)
- Owner
- Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan, 100% of shares (in 2024 the shares passed to the State Property Management Agency; on 1-2 April 2025 100% were transferred to the Ministry of Finance)
- Size
- KGS 77.47 billion in assets as of 30 April 2026
- License
- National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic license No. 030
- UK sanctions
- since 20 August 2025 (OFSI): freeze of the bank's assets and restrictions on trust services
- EU sanctions
- since 14 May 2026: ban on transactions for EU operators (20th package)
- US sanctions
- Keremet Bank is on the SDN list; Capital Bank is not named in publications about that list
- Credit rating
- Expert RA: B+, stable outlook (assigned on 24 September 2026)
- Ruble pilot project
- designated as the settlement bank in the ruble operations pilot by Cabinet of Ministers order No. 141-r of 17 March 2025
Pros
- 100% of the shares belong to the Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan
- Transfers from Russia without opening an account: Unistream, Omnypay, KWIKPAY, Astrasend
- The Capital Online app is available in Russian and offers remote identification
- Credit rating of B+ with a stable outlook from Expert RA
Cons and limits
- The bank is under UK and EU sanctions: a risk for euro and sterling operations, correspondent settlements and clients with European ties
- The EU banned transactions with the bank for EU operators; international settlements and SWIFT may be difficult
- Only Elkart cards are listed on the website: Visa and Mastercard are not offered
- The 8989 contact center works only on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:30
## About the bank
Capital Bank of Central Asia was established on 1 August 1994 as the investment joint-stock commercial bank Akyl; its National Bank license is No. 030. In 2024 the shares of the Tursunbekov family passed to the State Property Management Agency, and on 1-2 April 2025 100% of the shares were transferred to the Ministry of Finance. At 30 April 2026 the bank's assets were KGS 77.47 billion.
Do not confuse this bank with Eldik Bank, formerly RSK Bank: they are different organizations.
## Sanctions: what it means for a client
The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on 20 August 2025: the assets of Capital Bank of Central Asia are frozen and trust services are restricted. UK authorities linked the bank and its directors to the A7A5 stablecoin infrastructure and the Grinex and Meer crypto exchanges; the bank denies the allegations.
Since 14 May 2026 the EU has banned transactions with the bank for EU operators (20th sanctions package). Keremet Bank is on the US SDN list, and Capital Bank is not named in publications about that list. For a private client this means:
- payments in euros and pounds, and settlements routed through European correspondent banks, may be blocked;
- clients with European ties (work, property, accounts in the EU) should consider the risk of refused operations;
- for receiving ruble transfers in Kyrgyzstan the bank remains available, but timing and availability should be checked.
## Account for non-residents
The bank says it serves residents and non-residents. No document list for non-residents is published, and the procedure for foreigners is not described. The Capital Online app supports remote identification of individuals and sole proprietors and online applications for accounts, deposits, cards and loans of up to KGS 200,000; whether this works for a foreigner should be confirmed with the bank. The 8989 contact center takes calls on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:30.
## Cards and transfers
Only Elkart cards are listed on the website: Elkart-NFC (issue KGS 200, cash withdrawal 0.30%, free POS payments) and Elkart Custom Design (issue KGS 500, servicing KGS 100 a year, minimum balance KGS 100). Visa, Mastercard and Mir are not offered.
Transfers from Russia are available without opening an account: Unistream (0.90%), Omnypay from a Russian bank's app (0.5%), KWIKPAY (from 1%) and Astrasend.
## Who it suits
- Those who need to receive a ruble transfer from Russia without opening an account.
- Those who want the national Elkart card for payments inside the country.
If you need Visa or Mastercard, or an account without sanctions risk, choose Bakai Bank or MBANK.
Frequently asked questions
What sanctions apply to Capital Bank?
The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on 20 August 2025: a freeze of assets and a ban on trust services. Since 14 May 2026 the EU has banned transactions with the bank for EU operators. Keremet Bank is on the US SDN list, and Capital Bank is not named in publications about that list.
Why was the bank sanctioned?
UK authorities linked the bank and its directors to the infrastructure of the A7A5 stablecoin and to the Grinex and Meer crypto exchanges. The bank denies the allegations and says that since 2023 it has stopped operations with persons and banks on US, EU and UK sanctions lists.
How do I send money from Russia to Capital Bank?
The bank lists Unistream (rate for Russia 0.90%), Omnypay (from a Russian bank's app, 0.5% fee), KWIKPAY (from 1%) and Astrasend. You do not need to open an account for this.
Does the bank issue Visa and Mastercard?
Only Elkart cards are listed on the website: Elkart-NFC and Elkart Custom Design. The bank does not offer Visa, Mastercard or Mir.
Are Capital Bank and RSK Bank the same bank?
No, they are different banks. The former RSK Bank is now called Eldik Bank. Capital Bank is a separate bank founded in 1994.