Solana Co. checks into Alatau City, where the robots roam but the Wi-Fi is still buffering 🏗️

Nasdaq-listed crypto treasury firm Solana Company has signed a memorandum of understanding to advise and help build the blockchain and crypto infrastructure of Alatau City, Kazakhstan's planned digital-first megacity, the company said. The agreement was signed during the Alatau City Roadshow in Shenzhen and Hong Kong in June, which organizers said secured 30 cooperation agreements with a combined investment potential of over $6 billion. "We look forward to deepening this partnership and expanding the Solana ecosystem's footprint across the region," said Solana Company chair and CEO Joseph Chee.

The collaboration is structured around four areas: digital asset treasury, blockchain infrastructure, accelerating the institutional adoption of blockchain, and platform development. Alisher Abdykadyrov, CEO of the Alatau City Authority, said the MOU will also see Solana Company participate in the development of the Alatau Crypto Cluster, a dedicated pilot zone and special economic area in the upcoming city where crypto will be permitted for everyday transactions. The Solana Foundation separately signed a memorandum of understanding with Alatau City to develop its blockchain capabilities during the China roadshow.

The deal deepens Kazakhstan's ties to the Solana network. The country launched Central Asia's first Solana Economic Zone in its capital, Astana, last year alongside the Solana Foundation. The Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) launched its first Solana ETF last week, giving investors regulated exposure to $SOL through one of the largest stock exchanges in Central Asia.

The Alatau City project was first unveiled internationally by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in May 2024 and remains in early development and planning. The site, formerly the village of Zhetygen, was redesignated a city and renamed Alatau. Planners have described a fully integrated smart city with low-altitude aircraft, robotaxis, autonomous drones, hydrogen energy, artificial intelligence, digital identity and blockchain technology built in from the start, according to Arman Tastanbekov, deputy CEO of the Alatau City Authority, speaking at Solana Summit Kazakhstan 2026.

The project has drawn scrutiny from regulators. In March, The Diplomat reported that Kazakhstan's National Bank and Financial Monitoring Agency raised concerns about the constitutional changes required to support a crypto-based economy. Independent reporting has also indicated that current residents of the area are still coping with a lack of gas, water, electricity and internet connectivity, underscoring the gap between Alatau City's long-term plans and present-day conditions on the ground.