Central Bank of Uzbekistan Launches Fintech Hub and Venture Fund

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has announced a series of new support measures for the fintech sector, including the launch of an innovation hub, a specialized venture fund, a training program for 5,000 specialists, and research into a central bank digital currency (CBDC), Central Bank Chairman Timur Ishmetov announced at the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent.

These measures are being implemented as part of Uzbekistan's national fintech development strategy for 2026–2030, which aims to advance innovation, financial infrastructure, access to capital and talent, and position Uzbekistan as a fintech hub for Central Asia.

A central component of the strategy is the Central Bank's new innovation hub, which is scheduled to welcome its first cohort of resident startups in the fourth quarter of 2026. The hub will support fintech projects across various stages, covering incubation, acceleration, regulatory consulting, solution testing, and market preparation. Parallel to the hub, the Central Bank has established a specialized venture fund and is conducting talks with international fund managers to create a framework that enables promising projects to scale internationally.

The regulator is also focusing on enhancing payment infrastructure, expanding open banking, and strengthening operational resilience across the financial system. Ishmetov noted that the underlying regulatory framework, governance system, and technical architecture for these initiatives have already been established.

To address workforce development, the Central Bank is launching an initiative to train 5,000 students in financial technology by 2030, with the initial student group set to begin training before the end of 2026. Developed in partnership with universities in Singapore and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the curriculum will combine academic study with practical technical training.

Additionally, the Central Bank is exploring the introduction of a central bank digital currency and plans to publish a white paper during the forum. The document will examine potential application scenarios, architectural choices, key trade-offs, and systemic impacts to establish the foundation for an experimental testing phase in Uzbekistan.