Uzbekistan will launch a national payment switch under full control of the Central Bank, turning it into the mandatory gateway for all transactions in national currency.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the decree on November 27 as part of a broader fintech development package. The new infrastructure will serve both local and international payment system operators, who will be required to route every soum-denominated transaction through the Central Bank’s single switch.
Central Bank Chairman Timur Ishmetov received a tight timeline for 2025–2026. By January 2026 the regulator must complete a study of global best practices and draft technical specifications. Regulatory acts forcing all payment operators, including e-money companies, to connect exclusively to the new switch are due by March 2026.
The decree also accelerates the expansion of Uzbekistan’s Instant Payments System. Starting 1 February 2026, individuals will be able to send real-time transfers directly from their bank accounts using only a mobile phone number.
The Central Bank will open P2P functionality through OpenAPI, enabling payment-service providers to integrate new products and intensify competition in the fast-growing digital-payments market.
