There is a threat in Kyrgyzstan to restrict access to the services of several foreign companies, including Telegram, Alibaba, Microsoft, and Twitch. The reason for this step is the failure of foreign organizations to meet the requirements for tax registration.
According to information provided by the State Tax Service press service, all foreign entities providing electronic services to residents of Kyrgyzstan are obliged to register with the relevant tax authorities. During the period 2024–2025, 15.9 million monetary transfers exceeding a total of 151 million dollars were received into the accounts of eleven companies.
The largest financial receipts were recorded from Shanghai Xunmeng Information Technology Co. ($101.66 million), Alibaba ($32.27 million), and Microsoft ($11.55 million).
Despite repeated appeals and letters sent to the companies by the State Tax Service, as well as requests through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no response has been received. If the disregard for the requirements continues, the tax authorities plan to introduce restrictions on the use of these companies' services in Kyrgyzstan. Currently, only 73 out of all foreign companies providing electronic services have completed tax registration.
It is also worth noting that previously, the Australian internet safety regulator eSafety initiated legal proceedings against Telegram. The accusation against the messenger is related to the alleged failure to take sufficient measures to remove content related to far-right extremism and terrorism. As a result of this dispute, the platform faces a fine of up to $38 million.