Uzbekistan plans to introduce new regulatory norms starting November 16th, aimed at strengthening the protection of clients of financial services against fraudulent activities in cyberspace. According to the new rules, credit and payment organizations will not be able to conduct P2P transfers through websites.
Furthermore, when attempting to access an account from a new device, the corresponding bank cards will be temporarily deactivated. Credit and payment organizations will have the right to independently set the maximum amount for a P2P transfer that a user can make without additional verification via a one-time password (OTP) or another authentication method. This limit will be determined based on each organization's risk management policy.
Responsibility for fraudulent operations conducted without additional confirmation will fall on the credit and payment organizations. The new requirements also stipulate additional security measures when using a mobile application from a different device. To restore the password for an existing account, users will need to undergo biometric identification; the same procedure applies when logging in from a new device.
When accessing an account from another device or restoring a password, all associated bank cards must be automatically blocked. Reactivating the cards will require confirmation using an OTP code.
Specific requirements concern situations where threats are detected on a mobile device. If a financial institution detects malware or signs of remote control over the device, it is obliged to immediately send the user a notification via push notification and SMS. This message must inform the client that they need to contact the credit or payment organization to clarify the circumstances.
Additional confirmation will also be required before conducting any financial transactions through the mobile application. Before completing a transaction, the organization must display a warning, after which the client must independently confirm that the operation is being performed without interference from fraudsters.
The new rules also establish requirements for displaying the personal data of bank card holders. Mobile applications must show the first and last names of the cardholder in a partially masked form. This requirement also applies to money transfer participants, where information about both the sender and the recipient must be displayed with partial masking of personal data.
The Ministry of Justice reported that the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signed a decree on August 14 concerning measures to improve the provision of installment services to the population. According to this document, the activities of installment service operators in the country will begin on January 1, 2027.
An operator in this context is defined as a legal entity that provides installment services, while banks and microfinance organizations are excluded from this definition. The right to conduct such activities will only become available after the company is included in a special register compiled by the Central Bank.
Banks and microfinance organizations will be included in this register by notifying the Central Bank, whereas other legal entities must undergo a registration procedure with the regulator.
The object of the installment plan can be a commodity whose value should not exceed 250 basic calculation units (this amount will be 110 million soms starting September 1). However, real estate, as well as property restricted or withdrawn from circulation by legislation, cannot be the subject of this service.
Installment operators are prohibited from issuing consumer financial loans and attracting funds from individuals. They may transfer claims rights under installment agreements exclusively to other installment operators, microfinance organizations, and banks.
The decree also establishes specific requirements for the installment agreements themselves. These documents must clearly specify what commission or markup is charged by the operator, as well as all other payments included in the final price of the goods, work, or service.
The total amount of all payments exceeding the principal debt—including fines, penalties, and intermediary fees—must not exceed 50% of the installment amount within one year. Consumers have the right to repay the installment fully or partially early at any time without incurring any additional commissions, fines, or penalties.
The maximum term of the consumer's obligation under such an agreement is limited to 12 months from the date of its conclusion. Furthermore, starting January 1, 2027, organizations engaged in selling consumer goods loans are exempted from the obligation to send information about contracts worth up to 3 BCU (equivalent to 1.32 million soms) and how these contracts are fulfilled to credit bureaus.
In accordance with the new decree, installment service operators are obliged to comply with prudential norms and requirements of the Central Bank in the field of supervision and regulation. They must implement digital technologies for identifying and verifying clients when providing installment services.
Operators are also obliged to ensure the exchange of credit information with all credit bureaus for all concluded agreements and data on their fulfillment. When making a decision to grant an installment, the maximum debt burden set by the Central Bank must be taken into account.
These requirements also apply to some companies that formally provide consumer goods loans. If the quarterly turnover of such organizations exceeds 500 million soms, and the share of installments is 50% or more, they must undergo registration, be included in the register, and follow the requirements imposed on installment operators.
The Central Bank conducted an analysis and found that the installment market poses potential risks to financial stability. The regulator studied the user profile and revenue growth of services across various regions. The analysis showed that purchasing equipment through installments is often more expensive than obtaining a bank loan; for example, using the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the markup could reach 44%, and the actual overpayment could be up to 74% annually.
In June 2025, Central Bank Chairman Timur Ishmetov announced that the volume of the installment market in Uzbekistan reached 8.5 trillion soms. Since most of these agreements are not reflected in credit bureaus, this leads to an increase in the actual debt burden on the population. In this regard, the regulator proposed introducing an obligation for market participants to disclose data and indicate the exact amount of overpayment.
The 'Law on Real Estate Activities' has entered into force in Uzbekistan, having been approved on August 7, and is intended to regulate relations in the field of real estate services.
The State Agency for Management of State Assets has been appointed as the state body responsible for supervision in this area. Under the new legislation, real estate agents are now required to operate within a registered real estate organization and possess a qualified barcode certificate.
This certificate is issued by a professional public association after the specialist completes training and successfully passes the relevant examination. The right of real estate organizations and agencies to provide services arises after the data on these structures is entered into the Unified Register.
The law clearly regulates several types of activities that can be performed by real estate agents. These include intermediation in concluding transactions involving real estate and its rights, as well as organizing the trade of such properties.
Services for entrusted management of real estate objects are also provided, along with providing consulting, informational, and advertising services in the housing market.
In addition, the implementation of a multilisting system is planned in the sector. This system will be developed by the private sector and will allow real estate services to be provided under urgent contracts using a 'one-stop-shop' model, guaranteeing secure electronic data exchange.
A new set of measures is being developed in Uzbekistan aimed at developing the social protection system. These proposals concern expanding access to education for children with disabilities, changing the approach to supporting the homeless and victims of human trafficking, and transitioning transport benefits to a digital format.
These initiatives were announced at a meeting attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It was noted that the social assistance system has significantly strengthened over the past years: the number of types of social services has increased from 23 to 140, and the annual coverage has reached 4.6 million cases, with almost half of these cases resolved at the mahalla level.
Special attention is paid to children with special educational needs. Currently, there are over 168 thousand children with disabilities registered in the country, but about 34.6 thousand of them do not participate in the educational process. To eliminate this problem, targeted work with families is planned, where each child's needs will be assessed at an early stage to select optimal learning conditions. A pilot project is scheduled for October 2026 in the Khorezm and Navoi regions.
Starting from the new academic year, individual study plans will be introduced in specialized schools. Assistants and helpers will be provided to visually impaired teachers and primary school students. Private educational institutions that open correctional classes near children's residences can apply for state subsidies, and the most successful projects will be awarded grants annually.
Furthermore, starting in 2027, a voucher system is planned to provide children with necessary assistive technologies, such as Braille displays and text-to-speech devices. Additional conditions will be provided for people with disabilities during exams, including extended time, assistance from assistants, and sign language interpreters.
The reform will also affect people without a permanent place of residence. Existing rehabilitation institutions will be converted into temporary accommodation and social reintegration centers. In these centers, people will receive support in restoring documents, receiving medical treatment, acquiring a new profession, and finding employment. Mechanisms for employment support will also be developed, including providing training vouchers and establishing job quotas.
Regarding victims of human trafficking, it is proposed to start the functioning of a system for assessing their situation through 'Inson' centers in September 2026, after which they will be referred to the relevant services. The network of rehabilitation centers for women and children will be expanded by increasing the number of available places. Concurrently, the introduction of separate criminal liability for child trafficking and restricting the activities of individuals involved in such crimes is being considered.
Another significant change concerns simplifying the process of obtaining discounted travel. Currently, more than 48 thousand people use this benefit, and in the future, the entire system will become fully digital. Paper travel tickets will be abolished, and the right to the benefit will be verified using an ID card or biometric passport. Starting in 2027, purchasing discounted tickets will be possible online through the Baraka mobile application.
The President approved all the proposed measures and instructed a thorough elaboration of their implementation process. Relevant agencies must now prepare all necessary documentation and ensure the gradual introduction of new social support mechanisms across the country. It should be noted that in 2025, 4.9 million applications were submitted to Uzbekistan's social protection system, more than double the figure from the previous year, when applications totaled 1.9 million.
