Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation

What Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation does

Management Company of the Khorgos International Center of Boundary Cooperation Special Economic Zone JSC (ICBC Khorgos) is a state-affiliated Joint Stock Company that operates a Special Economic Zone on the Kazakhstan–China border, founded in 2005 as a bilateral Kazakh-Chinese project and granted full SEZ status in 2017 under Government Resolution No. 624. The Center is physically organized into a 1.85 sq km Kazakh part and a 3.43 sq km Chinese part, with the Kazakh side offering 608.56 hectares of fully serviced industrial and commercial land and 29.6 MW of available electrical capacity, 124,500 cubic meters of water supply, and 325 Gcal of thermal capacity. On this footprint, ICBC Khorgos hosts approximately 1,000 retail points and over 200 duty-free outlets, with goods sourced from 40+ supplier countries, making it functionally the largest cross-border retail and logistics hub in Central Asia. The supporting technology stack is utility- and infrastructure-oriented rather than software-oriented: free Wi-Fi across the Kazakh part, digital ticketing with QR-code entry, a 3D virtual tour of the territory, passport and baggage handling systems, and structured investor onboarding through a single-window service, with a permanent investment project review commission operating since August 20, 2024.

The business model is multi-stream and combines infrastructure-as-a-service, real estate, and transaction fees. SEZ participants receive a 0% package — no corporate income tax, property tax, land tax, VAT, customs duties, or land-use payments, with free land grants running until 2041 and no quotas on foreign workforce — in exchange for fees, land sublease arrangements, and vehicle entry tariffs. Visitors generate ticket revenue at 3,000 KZT per standard adult, 1,500 KZT for concessions, plus paid parking, and benefit from visa-free entry of up to 30 days with a 25 kg / €500 duty-free allowance. Commercial tenants — around 1,000 retail points, 200+ duty-free outlets, exhibition complexes, shopping centers, and trade galleries — generate rental and concession income, while PPP frameworks allow private capital participation in infrastructure development. The entity serves three primary customer groups: SEZ participants (enterprise investors seeking tax-advantaged border access), cross-border trade operators (wholesale and retail merchants), and visitors and tourists (consumers and tour groups).

The company's GTM is predominantly enterprise field sales for investor acquisition via the single-window service and structured four-step SEZ onboarding (request, preliminary commission, documentation, certificate), supported by a multilingual website (English, Russian, Kazakh, Chinese), digital ticket purchasing, and a forthcoming tourist operator partnership being sourced through an open competition announced in September 2025.

Name

Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation

Legal name

Management Company of the Khorgos International Center of Boundary Cooperation Special Economic Zone JSC

Website

https://khorgos.kz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

State-affiliated JSC managing the Kazakhstan-China border Special Economic Zone, offering 0% taxation, free land until 2041, and turnkey infrastructure to SEZ investors, while operating 1,000+ retail points and 200+ duty-free outlets serving cross-border visitors and trade operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Economic Zone Management

NAICS

Warehousing and Storage (4931), Other Warehousing and Storage (493190)

SIC

Terminal Maintenance Facilities For Motor Freight Transport (4231), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Bonded Warehouses (Customs-Bonded Storage Facilities) (TLALAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bonded Container Yards & In-Bond Depot Storage (TLALAGAE), Cross-Border E-commerce Parcel (DDU/Delivered At Place—Duties Unpaid) (TLAAANAE), Cargo Security & Regulatory Filing Systems (ACI/AMS/ISF/ENS/ICS2) (TLAEAOAJ)

Keywords

• Special economic zone
• Cross-border trade
• SEZ management services
• Duty-free retail platform
• Investor onboarding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Khorgos

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Visitor Ticket Sales: Standard tickets for visitors accessing the Kazakh part of the Center, including passenger transfer to the special crossing. Revenue from approximately 1,000 retail points and 200+ duty-free outlets drives broader commercial activity within the SEZ.
2. Vehicle Entry and Parking Fees: Paid parking for cars, trucks, and buses at Checkpoint-1 Complex. Entry and exit tariffs set in Monthly Calculation Indices (MCI) for various vehicle categories and stay durations. Annual and monthly passes available for SEZ participants, FEA, and DFS.
3. Land Sublease and SEZ Participation Fees: Free land use until 2041 for SEZ participants, though land sublease arrangements generate revenue for the management company. SEZ participants pay entry/exit fees per MCI categories.
4. Commercial Space Rental: Revenue generated from approximately 1,000 retail points, 200+ duty-free outlets, trade-exhibition complexes, shopping centers, galleries, pavilions, and non-stationary trade facilities operating on the Center's territory.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICBC Khorgos operates the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the Kazakhstan-China border, managing 608.56 hectares of retail, duty-free, logistics, and industrial facilities. It provides zero-tax SEZ participant onboarding, ready engineering infrastructure (power, water, heat, communications), visitor access with ticket purchasing and baggage handling, and single-window investor support including PPP and non-stationary trade placement services.

Product overview

Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation (ICBC Khorgos) is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) operated by the Management Company JSC, serving as the largest international trade and logistics hub on the Kazakhstan-China border. The Center operates as an integrated multi-service platform combining: (1) a retail and trading platform with approximately 1,000 retail points and 200+ duty-free outlets across trade-exhibition complexes, shopping centers, trade galleries, and Craftsmen's Town; (2) visitor services including a digital ticket purchasing system, 3D virtual tour, baggage handling, parking, and free Wi-Fi; (3) business and investor services encompassing PPP support, investor consulting, SEZ participation assistance, and non-stationary trade placement; and (4) infrastructure services providing electricity, water, heat, and telecommunications connectivity. The Center is organized into Kazakh (1.85 sq. km, SEZ status since 2017) and Chinese (3.43 sq. km) parts, operating daily from 07:00 to 19:00 with visa-free entry up to 30 days for visitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ticket Purchasing System Digital ticket purchasing service for visitor entry to the Kazakh part of ICBC Khorgos, available at on-site counters in front of Block B and via QR codes. Standard adult ticket priced at 3,000 KZT; concession tickets at 1,500 KZT for children aged 5-12, pensioners, and persons with disabilities; free entry for children under 5, WWII veterans, and Group I disability visitors with one companion. Daily operations run from 07:00 to 19:00.
• 3D Virtual Tour Interactive 3D virtual walkthrough allowing prospective visitors to explore the ICBC Khorgos territory and key facilities — including the Checkpoint-1 Complex, trade zone, Central Square, and Craftsmen's Town — before traveling to the site.
• Baggage Handling Services Baggage drop-off and pick-up services for visitors to ICBC Khorgos, including drop-off points in front of Block B, transport to the ICBC territory, and security calibration checks for baggage compliance with cross-border rules.
• Personal Vehicle Entry and Parking Paid parking services for cars, trucks, and buses at the Checkpoint-1 Complex with designated areas by transport category. Rates set in Monthly Calculation Indices (MCI), with 1 MCI = 3,932 KZT (2026). Annual, monthly, and single-entry passes available (K-1, K-2, K-3 categories) for SEZ participants, FEA, DFS, and visitors.
• Investor Support and SEZ Participation Services Single-window investor onboarding service for prospective SEZ participants. Includes a structured four-step process: investment request submission via the website contact form, project presentation to a preliminary selection commission (operational since August 20, 2024), filing of SEZ participation documents, and issuance of the SEZ participant certificate, with end-to-end support and access to tax preferences, land allocation, and free customs zone regime.
• Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Services Public-Private Partnership project support service for infrastructure development on the ICBC Khorgos territory. Supports single-stage, two-stage, and simplified PPP procedures depending on project complexity, including solicitation of expressions of interest from businesses and provision of terms on request.
• Business Consulting Services Full-scope business services for SEZ residents and participants covering consulting, investor support, infrastructure maintenance, utilities provision, internet and telecom access, landscaping, cleaning, waste removal, special equipment rental, and construction and installation works.
• Non-Stationary Trade Placement Placement service for street (non-stationary) trade objects on the Center territory, including food courts, bus stop complexes, public restrooms, and multi-purpose pavilions. Land plots allocated in accordance with approved Land Allocation Rules on a quote-based arrangement through the management company.
• Engineering Infrastructure Services Engineering infrastructure services providing electricity (29.6 MW available), water supply (124,500 m³ available), heat (325 Gcal available), internet and telephone connectivity, and connection to plots within the SEZ, along with special equipment rental. Application review for engineering connections typically completes within 5–10 days.
• Retail and Duty-Free Trading Platform Curated retail and duty-free trading platform hosting approximately 1,000 retail points and over 200 duty-free outlets across trade-exhibition complexes, shopping centers, trade galleries, and Craftsmen's Town. Goods are sourced from 40+ supplier countries and offered to both Kazakh and Chinese consumers under the free customs zone regime.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0% corporate tax, property tax, land tax, VAT, and customs duties for SEZ participants
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Free Wi-Fi Network (Infrastructure)minorOthers · 1 July 2025Free Wi-Fi network deployed across the Kazakh part of the Center (cash zone, Block A, Block B) as of July 1, 2025. Authorization via phone number (SMS code) or document scanning.
• KazakhInvest National Company JSCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2023The National Company KazakhInvest, Kazakhstan's national development institution for investment support, participated in the January 28, 2023 visit alongside AL BADIE GROUP, facilitating international investor engagement with the ICBC Khorgos SEZ.
• Tyulpan Khorgos LLPminorOthers · 9 September 2016Tyulpan Khorgos LLP had a construction contract (No. 144/09/16) for a hotel project on the ICBC Khorgos territory, which was terminated due to non-performance of obligations. The company was not an SEZ participant.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) / DP World: JAFZA operates one of the world's largest free zones adjacent to Jebel Ali Port, providing customs-bonded warehousing, infrastructure for tenants, and trade facilitation services — directly comparable as a large-scale customs-bonded trade zone operator serving cross-border commerce.
• KIZAD (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi) / AD Ports: KIZAD is a large industrial and logistics free zone adjacent to Khalifa Port, operated by AD Ports, offering bonded warehousing, customs advantages, and ready industrial land — directly comparable as a port-adjacent customs-bonded zone operator.
• Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE): SCZONE is Egypt's cross-border special economic zone on the Suez Canal, providing tax incentives, customs-bonded facilities, and industrial land for export-oriented manufacturers — directly comparable as a state-managed cross-border trade and industrial zone.
• Colon Free Zone (Panama): The world's second-largest free zone, operating as a customs-bonded re-export and distribution hub in Panama with thousands of tenants — directly comparable as a large multi-country re-export free zone with similar trade facilitation model.
• Horgos International Centre of Cooperation (Chinese side): The Chinese side of the joint cross-border cooperation zone in Xinjiang, covering 3.43 sq km adjacent to the Kazakh part — directly comparable as the binational partner operating the same cross-border cooperation zone with mirrored trade and customs functions.

Regional players

• Turkmenistan Aşgabat Free Economic Zone: Aşgabat FEZ is a state-managed free economic zone in Turkmenistan offering customs exemptions and industrial land for export manufacturers — a regional peer operating a Central Asian state-backed SEZ targeting similar Eurasian trade corridors.
• Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC): AIFC is Kazakhstan's flagship financial SEZ in Astana, offering tax exemptions, English-law jurisdiction, and infrastructure for financial services firms — a regional peer operating another Kazakhstani SEZ with overlapping investor base and similar state-backed structure.
• Lianyungang Free Trade Port: Lianyungang is the eastern terminus of the New Eurasian Land Bridge connecting to Khorgos — directly comparable as a Belt and Road corridor logistics and free trade hub serving China-Europe rail flows that originate or terminate through Khorgos.
• Chabahar Free Zone (Iran): Chabahar is a large customs-bonded free zone in southeastern Iran targeting Central Asian and South Asian trade — a regional peer operating a competing Central Asia-oriented free zone with similar SEZ tax structure.

Broad incumbents

• Shenzhen SEZ (Management Committee): China's original and most successful Special Economic Zone, offering tax incentives, infrastructure, and trade facilitation that established the SEZ template. Comparable as a broader SEZ operator in a similar customs-bonded, export-oriented model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation