Telegram — 76% reach, YouTube — №1, e-commerce on the rise: inside Uzbekistan’s digital landscape

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In 2025, Uzbekistan’s digital environment continues to evolve under the influence of demographic shifts, urbanization, and growing online engagement.

With a population exceeding 37 million, the country is home to a predominantly young audience that drives consistent demand for digital services and online communication. Internet penetration has reached 87%, while mobile internet remains the primary means of online access.

What defines Uzbekistan’s digital audience? How are roles distributed among platforms, formats, and regions? And which approaches are already yielding the best results? Experts from the innovative digital hub Wunder Digital provide insights and analytics.

Uzbekistan’s economy and population: opportunities and specifics for digital marketing

With a population of over 37 million, Uzbekistan continues to show steady growth of around 2% annually. A key feature of the market is its youthful demographic, offering major opportunities for brands targeting Millennials and Gen Z consumers.

A relatively even gender and urban–rural distribution creates additional targeting potential. However, more than 60% of the population is concentrated in the eastern part of the country, including the capital Tashkent and surrounding regions. This gives an advantage to local brands and those able to effectively target urbanized areas with higher income levels and stronger consumer activity.

In addition, rising wages are supporting purchasing power and expanding opportunities for market growth.

How to make digital marketing work in Uzbekistan

To succeed in Uzbekistan’s digital ecosystem, brands should consider several key factors:

Build strategies around tools and formats that best fit young audiences — Millennials and Gen Z. This group is mobile-first and highly active on social networks, allowing marketers to reach target segments through mobile platforms.

Target ads geographically. If nationwide coverage isn’t essential, focus efforts on Tashkent and nearby regions, where most active consumers are concentrated.

Internet penetration and access types

Internet penetration in Uzbekistan continues to grow and reached 87% in 2024, reflecting high digital engagement. This creates significant opportunities for brands focused on online marketing channels.

Eighty-two percent of users prefer mobile internet, highlighting the importance of mobile formats and applications for audience reach.

Internet speed varies significantly across the country: urban areas generally allow full use of video and apps, while rural regions often have limited access — typically to search, social networks, and Telegram.

Recommendations for digital strategy

Prioritize mobile formats when developing media mixes. Mobile internet remains the main channel of access for most users.

Consider bandwidth differences between regions. For audiences with slower connections, use short video clips. For longer content, ensure optimized loading speeds to maintain quality engagement.

In regional communications, banner ads tend to deliver better results.

Online media consumption

While Uzbekistan’s e-commerce market still lags behind more mature ones, its growth rate is impressive. The number of online purchases continues to rise, and consumer trust in online platforms is strengthening.

Special attention should be paid to the fast-developing FinTech sector. Financial technologies are expanding rapidly and have become an essential part of the digital economy. Mobile banking and online payments are now integral to daily life for many Uzbeks.

Recommendations for effective promotion

Consider audience media consumption habits when selecting platforms and formats. Focus on digital channels actively used in daily life.

Advertise on local news platforms and community pages that attract audiences interested in current affairs.

Use social networks, messengers, and short videos to engage audiences with content that’s easily consumed and widely shared.

Invest in contextual advertising and SEO to boost visibility in search engines and attract high-intent audiences.

In performance campaigns, prioritize Google’s search network to accurately target users actively seeking your products or services.

Trends in media and local platforms

YouTube remains the leading platform in terms of reach, even though monetization is still unavailable in Uzbekistan. At the same time, a new trend is emerging — online cinemas and local video platforms are gaining popularity, as users increasingly consume content there regularly. This opens up new opportunities for brands focused on local audiences.

According to DataReportal, Instagram leads social media traffic, driving two-thirds of all clicks to external websites. TikTok ranks second but has five times fewer users; the platform remains blocked, and monetization is unavailable. Men are more active in public discussions, while women tend to use messengers such as Telegram.

Telegram is the dominant messenger in Uzbekistan, with 25 million users — or 76% of the internet audience. Available across all regions, it plays a vital role in communication and is an indispensable element of any advertising media mix.

Local digital platforms are also thriving, including the educational platform eMaktab, news portals Kun.uz, Gazeta.uz, and Daryo.uz, the classifieds site OLX.uz, and the tax services portal Soliq.uz. Other popular resources include the sports site Championat.asia, the document management platform Didox.uz, and the automotive marketplace Avtoelon.uz — all offering new opportunities for businesses.

Conclusion

Uzbekistan’s digital landscape in 2025 represents a fast-evolving ecosystem characterized by high engagement and rapid infrastructure growth. A young audience, widespread mobile internet use, and growing trust in online services create favorable conditions for scaling digital strategies.

Successful brands are already leveraging geographic segmentation, mobile-first formats, and local platforms to connect with audiences.

In this context, Uzbekistan is emerging as one of the most promising markets in Central Asia for digital marketing and e-commerce.