Over 2.57 Million Uzbeks Activate Credit Self-Ban

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — More than 2.57 million people in Uzbekistan have voluntarily activated a self-ban on taking out loans since the service was introduced, according to the Credit Information Analytical Center (KIAC).

As of 1 July 2026, a total of 2,574,026 individuals had used the service.

During the second quarter, the number of users increased by 366,273, or about 16.6% compared with the beginning of April. Overall, more than 2.13 million people activated the self-ban during the first half of 2026, accounting for nearly 83% of all users of the service.

Men accounted for the majority of users, with 1,497,389 people, or 58% of the total. Women made up 1,076,637 users, or 42%.

The service was most popular among people aged 26 to 35, with 764,943 users, representing 30% of the total.

Among those under 26, 647,651 people, or 25%, activated the self-ban. Another 609,665 people aged 36 to 45, or 24%, used the service. In the 46–55 age group, 319,354 people, or 12%, registered a self-ban, while 232,413 people aged over 56, or 9%, did so.

The mechanism continued to gain popularity during the first half of the year. At the beginning of 2026, 438,300 people had an active self-ban. By 1 April, the number had exceeded 2.2 million. Growth slowed during the second quarter, although more than 366,000 additional people used the service.

The self-ban mechanism was introduced following the adoption of amendments to the legislation on the exchange of credit information in March 2025. It allows individuals to block loans from being issued in their name free of charge as protection against fraudulent borrowing without their knowledge.

Applications to activate or remove a self-ban may be submitted directly to the credit bureau, through public service centres or via the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services. Upon receiving an application, the credit bureau immediately enters the applicant's information into the relevant register.

The law also requires banks, microfinance institutions and other lenders to check the self-ban register before issuing a loan.

If a loan is issued without such verification, the financial institution bears responsibility for the resulting legal consequences.