Head of Wolt in Uzbekistan: E-commerce Growing at an Accelerated Pace

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Zafar Iskhakov, CEO of the technology company Wolt in Uzbekistan, stated at the KEY TECH: AI in Retail and E-commerce conference that the country’s e-commerce market is demonstrating rapid growth and developing “according to dynamic digital principles.”

According to Iskhakov, a comprehensive digital infrastructure has been forming in Uzbekistan over recent years: registration procedures for entrepreneurs are being simplified, the role of online platforms is expanding, and the number of self-employed individuals is increasing, all of which stimulate further development of e-commerce.

“Uzbekistan is already making significant progress in digitalization. The next stage is to build new processes directly in digital format. This will allow entrepreneurs to start operating online faster and more efficiently,” he emphasized.

The Wolt CEO noted that an increasing number of small business owners are moving to electronic sales channels, while the government is consistently simplifying regulatory procedures. He stressed that the key factor remains access to digital tools, which makes it easier for businesses to enter the formal sector of the economy.

“E-commerce is one of the most convenient pathways to enter the formal market. Businesses are willing to operate transparently when processes are clear and correspond to their scale,” Iskhakov said.

He highlighted the importance of continuing informational work with entrepreneurs. In his view, moving into the “white zone” of the economy becomes more attractive when equal competitive conditions are provided for all market participants.

“When part of the market remains in the gray zone, entrepreneurs fear losing their competitive edge, as formalization entails additional costs. Therefore, it is crucial for the government and other stakeholders to continue explaining the benefits of legal activity and to create transparent rules of the game,” he added.

Discussing business-government interaction, Iskhakov noted that the dialogue is becoming more substantive, with companies increasingly involved in discussing initiatives at early stages. He stressed the importance of regularly analyzing data when developing regulatory solutions.

According to him, monitoring trends in online commerce, the number of self-employed individuals, and the share of formal transactions will allow policymakers to more accurately identify measures that stimulate industry growth.

In conclusion, Iskhakov emphasized that increasing digital literacy among entrepreneurs and expanding access to technological tools continues to play a key role in the sustainable growth of e-commerce in Uzbekistan.