Investments are the placement of money into financial instruments or other assets with the goal of preserving capital and generating income. Income may come from asset value appreciation, dividends, coupon payments, or currency revaluation. Investments always carry risk: the value of investments can both increase and decrease.

Main goals:

• protecting savings from inflation;
• building capital;
• receiving regular income;
• saving for long-term goals;
• participating in the growth of companies and the economy.

Investing does not replace a financial reserve: funds for current expenses and emergencies should be kept separately.

A broker is a licensed professional securities market participant who executes transactions with financial instruments on behalf of, at the expense of, and in the interest of the client.

A bank primarily services accounts, transfers, deposits, and loans. A broker provides access to stock exchanges and allows buying and selling stocks, bonds, fund units, ETFs, and other instruments.

Investments through a broker are not a bank deposit, do not have a fixed guaranteed return, and may result in losses.

A stock exchange is an organized trading platform where buyers and sellers execute securities transactions according to established rules.

• KASE — Kazakhstan Stock Exchange;
• AIX — Astana International Financial Centre Exchange.

Generally, no. A private investor gains access to trading through a licensed broker who is an exchange member or uses corresponding access infrastructure.

You should verify: a valid license; legal entity name; official website; list of permitted activities; available trading platforms; tariffs and commissions; client asset storage procedures; official contacts.

A Kazakhstani broker's license should be checked on the official ARDFM website, while an AIFC participant's license can be found in the AFSA registry.

It is an account used for recording client money and financial instruments, conducting settlements, and executing transactions.

Money is recorded separately from the broker's own funds. Rights to securities are recorded in the depository system. Depending on the market, this may be the Central Depository, AIX CSD, or a foreign custodian.

Typically: visit the office; provide an ID or passport; fill out a client questionnaire and economic profile; sign the application or agreement; wait for account opening confirmation; fund the account.

Independent opening of a standard brokerage account is usually available from age 18.

There is no formal universal minimum. The minimum amount is determined by the cost of the financial instrument, exchange lot size, commissions, trading platform requirements, and broker conditions.

Typically, the account is funded by bank transfer using the broker's details or through an integrated banking app. Crediting may take one to several business days.

The client submits a withdrawal order via their personal account, mobile app, or paper form. Money is transferred to a bank account in the client's name.

This means the trade has been executed but the final transfer of money and securities has not yet been completed. Many exchange transactions use the T+2 settlement mode.

• brokerage commission per trade;
• exchange commission;
• depository or custodial fees;
• foreign counterparty commission;
• currency conversion costs;
• bank commission for deposits or withdrawals;
• fund management company fee.

Most common: stocks, bonds, government securities, mutual fund units, ETFs, depositary receipts, derivative financial instruments.

A stock confirms its owner's share in a joint-stock company. A stock owner may receive income through dividends and through stock price appreciation. Dividends and price growth are not guaranteed.

A bond is a debt instrument. By purchasing it, an investor essentially lends money to the issuer under certain conditions. The main risk is the issuer's inability to pay the coupon on time or redeem the bond.

Dividends are a portion of company profits distributed among shareholders. A coupon is a payment to the bondholder as specified in the bond issuance terms.

If the bond is traded on the secondary market and there is demand, it can be sold before maturity at the current market price.

An ETF is an exchange-traded fund whose units or shares are traded on the exchange. A single ETF can include stocks, bonds, or other assets. The advantage is the ability to obtain a diversified set of assets in a single transaction.

A mutual investment fund pools the funds of multiple investors. The management company invests them according to the fund's strategy and rules.

The fund's money and securities are stored and recorded by a custodian.

No. The unit value depends on fund asset values and can change. Past fund performance does not guarantee future results.

No. Potentially higher returns are typically accompanied by higher risk. A promise of guaranteed high profit without risk is a characteristic sign of a fraudulent offer.

Market, credit, currency, interest rate, liquidity, inflation, operational, country, legal, concentration, and leverage risks. An investor may lose part or all of the invested amount.

It is the distribution of investments among different instruments, issuers, industries, countries, currencies, and time horizons. Diversification reduces portfolio dependence on a single issuer or sector, but does not eliminate overall market risk.

Define investment goals and timeframe; assess acceptable loss level; build a financial reserve; diversify the portfolio; limit position sizes; don't invest essential funds; study issuer documents; account for commissions and taxes; regularly review the portfolio.

There is no universal optimal moment. The decision should align with the client's investment strategy, goals, time horizon, and acceptable risk.

Nominal return shows the change in investment value without adjusting for inflation. Real return reflects the change in purchasing power of capital after accounting for inflation.

It is the effect where earned income is reinvested and subsequently also generates income. The longer the investment period, the more pronounced the compound interest effect.

No. Historical results show how an instrument performed in the past but do not guarantee the same outcome in the future.

• guaranteed high returns;
• urgent money transfer demands;
• communication only via messenger;
• transfer to an individual's card;
• request for password or SMS code;
• offer to install remote access software;
• absence of a license;
• fake website or account;
• refusal to provide a contract or disclose risks.

No. Passwords, one-time codes, bank card details, and EDS keys must not be shared with third parties.

A demo account allows you to practice buying and selling instruments without using real money. Profits and losses on such an account are virtual.