Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has instructed commercial banks and payment organisations to carefully investigate customer complaints involving cases in which money is debited from a bank card but an ATM fails to dispense cash.
According to the regulator, a “successful” status in an information system does not, by itself, prove that the service was provided. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan reported this in a letter dated 30 October 2026.
The letter, No. 26-20/2309, was addressed to commercial banks and payment organisations.
The regulator said that reviews of customer complaints had revealed cases in which funds were debited without cash being dispensed. In such situations, payment service providers typically rely on electronic logs and technical data indicating that the transaction was completed successfully.
However, the letter noted that, because ATM operating requirements are not always observed and the preservation of relevant data is not guaranteed, providers are sometimes unable to reliably establish whether the cash was actually handed to the customer.
The Central Bank reminded payment service providers that they must comply with legal requirements when operating ATMs and other self-service devices.
These requirements include technical and internal controls, recording transaction results and retaining the necessary data. The regulator stressed that these measures are not merely formalities but essential conditions for reliable service delivery, preventing violations and protecting consumers' property interests.
Payment service providers must not benefit from their own failure to comply with mandatory requirements. If such violations prevent the objective establishment of the circumstances surrounding a disputed transaction, the consequences must not be imposed on the consumer.
Complaints involving debited funds without cash being dispensed, as well as improper execution of other transactions, must be investigated comprehensively and objectively.
The regulator said investigations should take into account electronic logs, technical data, cash balance reconciliation results, information from participants in the payment infrastructure, video recordings and other evidence.
Once the investigation is complete, the consumer must receive a response outlining the established circumstances and the evidence on which the conclusions are based.
If a transaction is found to have been improperly executed, the payment service provider responsible for the violation must restore the consumer's infringed property rights in accordance with the law.
The Central Bank said it would apply supervisory measures and penalties предусмотрed by law if violations are identified. In determining the response, it will consider the nature of the violations, their consequences and the extent of measures taken to address the shortcomings.
