Abstract
The acceleration of digitalization of financial services and the expansion of non-cash and online transactions is transforming the economic behavior of households, changing the structure of consumption, borrowing and saving, as well as strengthening the relationship between retail business activity and banking financial instruments. The study aims to assess the impact of digital financial transactions on household behaviour in Kazakhstan, focusing on consumption, borrowing, savings, retail activity, household lending, and deposit accumulation within the banking system. The study’s methodological basis is a quantitative approach using a system of indicators reflecting households’ financial behaviour, including consumption, credit activity, savings, and digital transactions. The study covers the period 2014–2024 and is based on macroeconomic and financial indicators characterising the dynamics of consumption, lending, savings, and digital payments. The results showed that in 2014-2024, household deposits increased from 4.3 to 23.0 trillion tenge, household loans from 3.7 to 20.3 trillion tenge, the number of online transactions increased almost 190-fold, and the volume of digital payments almost 500-fold. Regression models confirmed a significant association of digital transactions with consumption, lending, deposits, and retail turnover; R2 values were 0.973, 0.958, 0.979, and 0.940, respectively. The findings show that the digitalization of financial transactions enhances not only household financial activity but also the development of the retail business environment, as online payments and digital services increase consumption intensity and support the growth of Kazakhstan’s consumer market.