Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has received preliminary regulatory approval from the Astana Financial Services Authority to operate in Kazakhstan, it said in a blog post released Monday.The in-principal approval was Binance's first step to operating as a digital asset trading facility and providing custody services in the Astana International Financial Center.Keep in mind, though, Binance still needs to complete the full application process before it can start operations in the Central Asian country."Kazakhstan has shown itself to be a pioneer in Central Asian crypto adoption and regulation," said Changpeng Zhao, founder and CEO of Binance. “This further signifies Binance’s commitment to being a compliance-first exchange and providing products and services in a safe and well-regulated environment across the globe."Despite the looming crypto-market downturn, Binance has been expanding its global footprint. In recent days, the company teamed up with Mastercard (MA) to launch a crypto prepaid card in Argentina.In July, Binance's Moon Tech subsidiary granted registration in Spain.
