Central Bank of Uzbekistan: Nearly Half of Foreign Currency Purchases in January Spent on Equipment and Production

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In January 2026, nearly half of the foreign currency purchased in Uzbekistan was used for the acquisition of equipment and goods for the manufacturing sector, the press service of the Central Bank of the Republic reported.

According to the regulator, 49.1% of the purchased foreign currency was allocated to the development of the production sector, 25.3% to loan repayments, and 21.3% to the import of consumer goods and medicines.

Smaller volumes were used for other purposes: 0.4% was directed toward repatriation of income to foreign investors, and 3.9% for other currency needs.

The Central Bank also noted an increase in the activity of market makers in the currency market. While two market makers participated in trades on the Uzbekistan Republican Currency Exchange in 2025, their number rose to five at the beginning of 2026, with their share of trading increasing from 18.8% to 34.2%.

At the same time, the volatility of the national currency has increased. In January 2025, exchange rate fluctuations ranged from 0.17% to 0.21%, whereas in January 2026, the range widened to 0.43%–0.74%, reflecting heightened dynamics in the currency market.