At present, all countries of the world, including Kazakhstan, in the sphere of the global economy are solving the problem of increasing the rates of economic growth. Experience shows that special economic zones can be such “points of economic growth”. The level of economic development, geographic location, natural and climatic factors and a number of other factors, of course, distinguish Kazakhstan in terms of the existing potential for the development of special economic zones. The zones created in Kazakhstan have different specializations and, accordingly, different goals, which are solved with varying degrees of success. The real results of the functioning of SEZ in Kazakhstan are still difficult to be attributed to absolutely positive. Taking into account the ambiguous results of the activities of special economic zones, the state has been taking measures for a number of years to increase their efficiency and transform the institutional framework of their activities. The existing and new promising special economic zones are intended to contribute to the achievement of these goals. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the use of such a tool as SEZ in every possible way, to study methods to improve the efficiency of their functioning. This will make it possible to objectively assess the possible prospects for the creation and development of SEZ in the Kazakhstan’s economy.