Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Apple Pay and Google Pay became available in Uzbekistan on 27 October, allowing iPhone and Android users to link bank cards to digital wallets and make contactless payments using smartphones and compatible smartwatches.
At the initial stage, Apple Pay supports cards issued by eight banks and financial institutions in Uzbekistan.
The list includes Uzum (Visa), Orient Finans Bank (Visa and Mastercard), the National Bank of Uzbekistan (Visa and Mastercard), Kapitalbank (Visa and Mastercard), Hamkorbank (Visa), Ipak Yuli Bank (Visa and Mastercard), TBC Bank (Visa and Mastercard) and Octobank (Visa and Mastercard).
Android users can also add bank cards to Google Wallet. Cards can be linked through a bank's mobile application, where the feature is supported, or directly through the digital wallet.
To set up Apple Pay, users need to open Apple Wallet, select the option to add a bank card, enter their card details and complete the verification process.
Android users can follow a similar procedure in Google Wallet. Depending on the bank, verification may be completed through an SMS message or the bank's mobile application.
Once a card has been linked, users can pay for purchases by holding their smartphone or compatible smartwatch near a point-of-sale (POS) terminal that supports contactless payments.
Android devices must support near-field communication (NFC) technology to use Google Wallet for contactless payments.
Card compatibility depends on the issuing bank, payment network and card type. The range of supported banks and cards is expected to expand as technical integration progresses.
The launch of Google Pay in Uzbekistan was announced on 19 October by Google Cloud representative Marcin Krasuski during a digital technology event in Samarkand held as part of meetings between Central Asian countries and the United States under the C5+1 format.
On 22 October, Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee officially announced the introduction of Google Pay and said Apple Pay would become available soon.
The committee noted that the introduction of these payment services would, among other benefits, simplify cashless transactions for foreign tourists, allowing them to use familiar payment methods while visiting Uzbekistan.
