Gulf war / Hormuz · Strature analysis, not from the brief
Gulf war / Hormuz: what is at stake for Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's Gulf exposure is capital, not oil: Gulf direct investment stood at $3.3bn at end-2024 (1.07% of GDP), $2.7bn from the UAE. Its own crude, 75.7 Mt exported in 2025, ships outside the Strait.est.
US$3.28bn
Gulf direct investment position, US$bn, end-2024 (IMF)
1.07%
Gulf direct investment position, % of GDP
US$2.71bn
UAE direct investment position, US$bn, end-2024 (IMF)
75.7est.
Crude oil exports, Mt, 2025
Read the full panel
Risks
- Gulf money is concentrated in two states. The UAE sent $1.398bn and Qatar $1.2bn of direct investment in Jan-Sep 2025. A Gulf fiscal squeeze from lost exports could slow new commitments. Estimate from press or commentary
- The Masdar-led $1.4bn wind and storage project broke ground on 29 Jun 2026, with operation planned for Q3 2029 (reported). No financial close was found in the press and company sources searched in Oct 2026. Estimate from press or commentary
- Exports to Iran nearly doubled to $239.3m in 2025, mostly grain. A war in Iran puts that market and its payments at risk. Estimate from press or commentary
- Fuel imports are rising. Diesel imports reached 330.5 kt in Jan-Nov 2025, four times a year earlier, and about 42% of jet fuel comes from Russia (estimate). A Gulf product squeeze raises the cost of replacements. Estimate from press or commentary
- Volumes face a nearer threat than the Gulf: CPC volumes net to KMG fell 7.4% in H1 2026, after disruption at the terminal and intake limits.
Opportunities
- Europe took 86% of crude and condensate exports in 2025, Italy 38%. Buyers replacing Gulf barrels can turn to Caspian crude that loads outside the Strait. Estimate from press or commentary
- KMG sold 66.7% of its oil and condensate supply to export markets in 2025, so higher prices reach the national oil company.
- Polypropylene export sales rose to 161.4 kt in 2025 from 112.1 kt, while Gulf petrochemical shipments depend on the Strait.
Uncertainties
- Inflow figures differ by source and period: $1.398bn from the UAE in Jan-Sep 2025 (National Bank, via the press) and $1.64bn for the year (foreign minister). Part of the money routed through Dubai may not be Gulf-origin (commentary). Estimate from press or commentary
- Press puts cumulative UAE inflows at over $7.3bn, but the official position at end-2024 was $2.7bn, which suggests inflows are partly repaid or routed onward. Estimate from press or commentary
- Whether higher oil prices outweigh lost volume. CPC, the main export route, ends at a Black Sea terminal exposed to strikes.
What to watch
- 20 Nov 2026F-0074 resolves. A renewed strike could test Gulf export revenue and Gulf investment budgets.
- QuarterlyNational Bank direct investment by country: whether UAE and Qatar inflows hold.
- MonthlyCPC loadings and KMG trading updates.
- Q3 2029Commercial operation of the Masdar-led wind farm in the Zhambyl region.
Exposure by channel
| Channel | Figure | Band | Published line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf capitalCapital and finance | 1.07% of GDP end-2024 position / 2025 GDPHormuz Gulf inward direct investment position as a share of GDP | Low | High ≥10% of GDP or ≥25% of FX reserves · Medium 2–10% of GDP · Low <2% of GDP but ≥US$1bn |
Bands follow the published materiality lines for this theme. A low-confidence figure alone caps a band at Medium.
Gulf
Drawn to scale from zero. * Our calculation from the cited figures.
Sources cited
- IMF, Direct Investment Positions by Counterpart Economy (DIP, formerly CDIS), Kazakhstan inward positions, net, all instruments (INWD_D_NETLA_FALL_ALL) (end-2024; retrieved 28 Oct 2026)
- JSC NC KazMunayGas 1H of 2026 Trading Update (H1 2026; retrieved 27 Oct 2026)
- JSC NC KazMunayGas 2025 Trading Update (2025; retrieved 27 Oct 2026)
Estimates from press or commentary
- Forbes Kazakhstan, Сколько нефти и газа добыли в Казахстане в 2025 году (Bureau of National Statistics data) (2025; retrieved 27 Oct 2026)
- FinRatings.kz, Инвестиции стран Ближнего Востока в Казахстан резко выросли (National Bank data) (Jan-Sep 2025; retrieved 28 Oct 2026)
- Blackridge Research, Masdar Breaks Ground on $1.4 Billion, 1GW Wind and Battery Project in Kazakhstan's Zhambyl Region (2026; retrieved 28 Oct 2026)
- Forbes Kazakhstan, Чем Иран и Казахстан торгуют друг с другом (State Revenue Committee and BNS data) (2025; retrieved 28 Oct 2026)
- Forbes Kazakhstan, Казахстан скупает чужой дизель и активно распродает свой бензин (Argus Media data) (Jan-Nov 2025; retrieved 27 Oct 2026)
- TASS, Kazakhstan imports about 500,000 tons of jet fuel annually from Russia (Energy Ministry) (2025; retrieved 27 Oct 2026)
- The Moscow Times (Reuters), Казахстан нарастил экспорт нефти в направлении Европы на 7% в 2025 г. (2025; retrieved 27 Oct 2026)
- The Astana Times, UAE Investment in Kazakhstan Hits $1.6 Billion as Renewables Take Focus (2025; retrieved 28 Oct 2026)
- Lada.kz (from Forbes Kazakhstan), Ближний Восток закинул миллиарды в Казахстан (2026; retrieved 28 Oct 2026)
Our calculations
- Hormuz Gulf inward direct investment position as a share of GDP: 1.07% of GDP (= Hormuz Gulf inward DI position end-2024 / nominal GDP 2025 × 100)
- UAE share of gross direct investment inflow: 8% (= UAE direct investment 2025 / gross FDI inflow 2025 × 100)
Strature analysis, not from the brief: researched by Strature from public sources and kept in our country dossier, updated 28 Oct 2026. General research, not advice. Who else is exposed: Gulf war / Hormuz →