Card-to-Card Transfers in Uzbekistan to Require Indicating Payment Purpose

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has introduced a mandatory requirement for commercial banks and payment service providers to specify the purpose of payment when conducting money transfers between individuals.

The new rule is outlined in a letter from the regulator to banks and payment services and is being implemented in accordance with the presidential decree on additional measures to promote cashless payments and reduce the shadow economy.

According to the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, mobile applications of all banks and payment service providers must be updated to include a dedicated “payment purpose” field in the transfer interface. Users will not be able to complete a card-to-card transfer without selecting a purpose. The selection will be made from a regulator-approved list of categories rather than entered freely.

The Central Bank has approved a list of 16 standard payment purposes, covering the main types of everyday financial transactions. These include payment for goods and services, debt repayment, charitable transfers, utility bills, rent payments, education and medical expenses. Separate categories are allocated for transfers to relatives, gifts, and investment operations. This categorization, according to the regulator, will enable automated systems to more accurately classify money flows.

The regulator emphasized that banks and payment service providers are responsible not only for implementing the required technical changes but also for submitting a report on completed work to the Central Bank’s Payment Systems Department by 1 March 2026.

The Central Bank also warned that failure to provide information or untimely compliance with the regulator’s instructions will be treated as a violation of legal requirements and will entail sanctions provided by law. According to the regulator, this measure is expected to increase transparency in retail payments and serve as an additional tool in combating the shadow economy.