DiscoverBusiness BreakdownsKaspi.kz: The Kazakh Super-App - [Business Breakdowns, EP.204]
Kaspi.kz: The Kazakh Super-App - [Business Breakdowns, EP.204]

Kaspi.kz: The Kazakh Super-App - [Business Breakdowns, EP.204]

Update: 2025-01-221
Share

Digest

This podcast features an interview with Mihail Lumsada, CEO of CASPY, a leading Kazakhstani fintech super app. The discussion covers CASPY's remarkable journey from a traditional bank to a dominant player in the Kazakhstani market, driven by a commitment to providing high-quality, user-friendly mobile services. The conversation explores CASPY's diverse service offerings, including payments (P2P, network, B2B), a marketplace (e-commerce, grocery, travel), and fintech solutions (buy now pay later, SME financing). CASPY's success is attributed to its data-driven approach, strong customer loyalty (measured by Net Promoter Score), and strategic partnerships with the Kazakhstani government to digitize public services. The podcast also delves into CASPY's growth strategies, including plans for international expansion, exemplified by its recent acquisition of a Turkish marketplace. Challenges and competitive advantages are discussed, highlighting CASPY's focus on product quality, speed of innovation, and the unique benefits of its super app model in an emerging market. The interview concludes with Lumsada's insights on the importance of product quality, the super app business model, and the factors contributing to CASPY's success.

Outlines

00:00:00
CASPY: From Bank to Fintech Super App

Introduction to Finley and CASPY, followed by an overview of CASPY's evolution, its diverse services, and its market dominance in Kazakhstan.

00:02:43
Kazakhstan's Digital Transformation and CASPY's Role

Discussion of Kazakhstan's economy, its digitalization efforts, and CASPY's pivotal role in this transformation, including its partnership with the government.

00:14:01
CASPY's Business Model and Product Development

Details on CASPY's transition to a tech company, its company culture, data-driven decision-making, customer feedback, and its three main business verticals: payments, marketplace, and fintech.

00:34:33
Growth Strategies and International Expansion

CASPY's growth strategies within Kazakhstan and its plans for international expansion, including recent acquisitions and future prospects.

00:47:40
Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook

Analysis of the competitive landscape, CASPY's competitive advantages, and concluding remarks from Mihail Lumsada on the importance of product quality and the super app model.

Keywords

Fintech Super App


A mobile application offering a wide range of financial and non-financial services.

Digital Transformation


The shift from traditional processes to digital technologies.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)


A metric measuring customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Network Effects


Increased value of a product/service with more users.

Emerging Market


A country in early stages of economic development.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)


A short-term financing option.

Kazakhstan Fintech


The fintech industry in Kazakhstan.

CASPY


A leading Kazakhstani fintech super app.

Super App Model


A single app offering diverse services.

International Expansion


Growth strategies beyond domestic markets.

Q&A

  • What are the key factors contributing to CASPY's success in the Kazakhstani market?

    High-quality products, data-driven approach, strong customer loyalty, and strategic government partnerships.

  • How does CASPY's Super App model differentiate it from competitors?

    Integration of diverse services into a single, user-friendly platform.

  • What are CASPY's plans for future growth and expansion?

    Continued expansion in Kazakhstan and international growth, including acquisitions.

  • How does CASPY manage to maintain high product quality?

    Prioritization of customer feedback and a lean, product-focused structure.

  • What are the biggest challenges CASPY faces?

    Competition and educating international investors about its business model.

Show Notes

This is Zack Fuss. Today, we are breaking down Kaspi, a leading financial technology company based in Kazakhstan best known for its super app. Kaspi plays a central role in the lives of millions of Kazakh citizens by offering a seamless ecosystem that combines payments and digital wallets, e-commerce, and financial services. 

Its success is often attributed to its ability to solve pain points specific to the Kazakh market, such as low financial inclusion and limited access to traditional banking infrastructure. To break down Kaspi, I'm joined by the company's CEO and co-founder, Mikhail Lomtadze.  Over the past 23 years, Mikhail helped to transform Kaspi from a small traditional retail bank to the dominant platform it is today. He ultimately brought Kaspi public on the London Stock Exchange in 2020, and more recently listed the business on the Nasdaq Exchange in the US. 

We discuss the unique challenges of building a super app in an emerging market, how Kaspi differentiates itself from the global tech giants, and the company's ambitions to expand its footprint beyond its current borders.

Please enjoy this Breakdown on Kaspi.


For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

-----

This episode is sponsored by Finley - modern debt capital management software for borrowers and lenders. Ask around and you'll find that nearly every operator or investor has experienced the operational nightmare of managing debt capital. Finley works by translating unstructured credit agreements into code, which gets all parties on the same page and helps them streamline the credit management lifecycle--think covenant reporting, interest and fee tracking, and portfolio analysis. Join the forward-thinking finance leaders, investors, and bank executives already modernizing their debt capital operations with Finley. Learn more and request your demo at finleycms.com. 

—--

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).


Show Notes

(00:00:00 ) Learn about Finley

(00:06:26 ) Mikhail's Background and Journey

(00:08:48 ) Kazakhstan's Economic Landscape

(00:13:05 ) Caspi's Mission and Evolution

(00:15:51 ) Building a Super App

(00:21:53 ) Focus on Payments

(00:24:50 ) E-commerce and Marketplace Expansion

(00:28:02 ) Entering the Grocery Market

(00:29:51 ) E-commerce Growth and Grocery Expansion

(00:30:10 ) FinTech Synergy and Competitive Advantages

(00:33:16 ) Kazakhstan Market Penetration and Growth Opportunities

(00:34:20 ) Vertical Expansion and Service Innovation

(00:35:28 ) Acquisition and International Expansion

(00:38:21 ) Company Culture and Product Development

(00:51:37 ) Super App Business Model and Market Strategy

(00:55:20 ) Lessons From Kaspi

Comments 
loading
In Channel
loading

Table of contents

00:00
00:00
1.0x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Kaspi.kz: The Kazakh Super-App - [Business Breakdowns, EP.204]

Kaspi.kz: The Kazakh Super-App - [Business Breakdowns, EP.204]

Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts