Nearly Half of Uzbekistan Bank Cards Inactive, Central Bank Reports

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Nearly half of all bank cards issued in Uzbekistan remain inactive, with residents holding an average of 3.2 cards per adult but actively using only 53 percent of them, according to data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan's pilot financial inclusion index.

The regulator noted that access to payment services remains the highest among all evaluated financial categories. Approximately 83 percent of adults hold a bank card, nearly 77 percent use internet banking, and 86.3 percent have the capability to make payments via mobile internet.

Despite high access metrics, the actual usage index for payment instruments scored 34 points out of 100, creating a significant gap with the payment access score of 69 points. The central bank attributed this disparity to card issuance growth outstripping regular utilization, as only slightly more than half of all issued national cards were used at least once in the preceding 12 months.

Furthermore, peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers account for 69 percent of all payment transactions nationwide, while direct card payments for goods and services remain relatively infrequent.

The Central Bank stated that continuing to expand the number of issued cards will yield limited benefits for financial inclusion. The regulator plans to shift focus toward developing merchant acquiring infrastructure, expanding everyday cashless payment scenarios—including utility and retail transactions—and improving digital financial literacy among the public.