Uzbekistan Allows Offshore Storage of PayPal and Apple Pay Data

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signed a law amending the country’s Personal Data Law, allowing certain personal data to be stored and processed abroad. The document was officially published on 26 March 2026.

Under the amendments, only biometric and genetic data of individuals, as well as information of citizens using services from telecommunications operators operating in Uzbekistan, must be stored domestically.

All other personal data may be processed and stored overseas, provided specific conditions are met. These include: the foreign country ensures adequate personal data protection; the operator uses standard contractual clauses or corporate rules recognized by the authorized body; or the operator follows internationally approved standards for data management and storage recognized by the state.

The changes directly impact the operations of foreign payment systems and digital services, including PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, facilitating their activity on the Uzbek market.

The law takes effect immediately upon official publication. The amendments were approved by the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis in January and February 2026, respectively.