The term ―cryptocurrency,‖ along with the concepts of digital currency and virtual assets, has
already become well established in law enforcement practice. Despite its widespread use, this concept
has not yet received specific regulatory recognition or comprehensive legal regulation, and therefore it
has gradually evolved in judicial practice through a process of trial and error. This situation is associated
with the processes of digitalization that have affected almost all spheres of society and facilitated the
transfer of certain economic and social relations into the virtual space. As a result, cryptocurrencies in
some cases become instruments for committing unlawful acts, creating new challenges for criminal law.
The article is devoted to examining the role of cryptocurrencies in the system of criminal offenses
in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Particular attention is paid to defining the legal status of
cryptocurrencies, analyzing types of crimes committed using them, identifying the difficulties faced by
law enforcement agencies, and determining possible directions for improving criminal legislation. In
addition, the importance of taking international experience into account is emphasized.
The methodological basis of the research consists of system-legal, comparative-legal and
criminological approaches.