OMM Newsroom
Apple Pay and Google Pay have launched in Uzbekistan. From Oct. 27, customers of several local banks can link their cards to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet and make contactless payments with compatible smartphones and other devices, AnewZ reported.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, confirmed the services’ launch in a Telegram post: “I am pleased to share some good news: Apple Pay and Google Pay finally started working in Uzbekistan today.”
According to information in Apple Wallet, customers of the following eight banks can currently add eligible cards to Apple Pay:
- Uzum Bank — Visa;
- Orient Finans Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- National Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Kapitalbank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Hamkorbank — Visa;
- Ipak Yuli Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- TBC Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Octobank — Visa, Mastercard.
Apple says not all card types from partner banks may support the service. More banks are expected to join Apple Pay in the future.
Uzbekistan has also been added to the list of countries supporting Google Pay. Google Wallet currently lists nine banks whose cards work with the service:
- AVO Bank — Mastercard;
- Octobank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Uzum Bank — Visa;
- TBC Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Aloqabank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Kapitalbank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Ipak Yuli Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- National Bank — Visa, Mastercard;
- Orient Finans Bank — Visa, Mastercard.
The services allow customers to pay using compatible smartphones and other supported devices without carrying a physical bank card. As the services expand, more banks and card types may become available.
The launch in Uzbekistan marks another step in the spread of digital payments in Central Asia. Kazakhstan has supported Apple Pay since 2018 and Google Pay since 2021. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan launched Apple Pay earlier this year.
Turkmenistan remains an exception: Apple Pay is not yet available there. As local bank cards, including Altyn Asyr cards, cannot be added to Apple Wallet, cash and physical cards remain the main payment methods.
The launch of Apple Pay and Google Pay in Uzbekistan therefore expands mobile payment options across much of Central Asia. However, the pace of adoption differs from country to country.
