Telegram may be blocked in Kyrgyzstan.

Telegram and several other major foreign companies, including Alibaba, Microsoft, and Twitch, may be blocked in Kyrgyzstan for refusing to register with the tax authorities. The list of potentially blocked companies also includes Valve, Sony, Epic Games, Electronic Arts, VK, and Dropbox.

According to a statement from the State Tax Service (STS) press service, foreign organizations providing electronic services to Kyrgyz citizens are required to register with the country's tax authorities. Between 2024 and 2025, 15.9 million money transfers totaling over $151 million were made to the accounts of the 11 aforementioned companies. The largest transaction volumes were handled by Shanghai Xunmeng Information Technology Co. ($101.66 million), Alibaba ($32.27 million), and Microsoft ($11.55 million).

The STS has repeatedly sent official notifications to these companies and contacted them through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but there has been no response. If these requirements are further ignored, tax authorities intend to initiate procedures to restrict access to these companies' services in Kyrgyzstan. Currently, only 73 foreign companies providing e-services have completed tax registration.

It was previously reported that the Australian internet security regulator eSafety initiated legal proceedings against Telegram, accusing the messaging service of insufficient measures to remove content related to terrorism and far-right extremism. The platform faces a fine of up to $38 million.