Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has approved regulations governing retail settlements through a national payment switch, establishing a centralised infrastructure for processing and clearing domestic cashless transactions.
The Ministry of Justice registered the regulations on 23 October 2026. The rules will take effect on 25 January 2027, three months after their publication.
Under the new framework, all domestic payments denominated in soums and made using bank cards or electronic wallets will be processed through the national payment switch.
The system is intended to provide a unified infrastructure for payment processing, clearing and the exchange of transaction information within Uzbekistan.
Central Bank to Oversee National Payment Infrastructure
The Main Informatization Centre under the Central Bank will serve as the operator of the national payment switch.
It will be responsible for ensuring uninterrupted system operations, providing technical support, developing the infrastructure and maintaining information and cybersecurity.
The platform will handle the receipt and routing of payment requests, transaction processing and authorisation, clearing operations, preparation of settlement documents and reports, and the exchange of domestic payment information.
According to the regulations, the introduction of the national switch is expected to improve the resilience, security and stability of payment transactions.
Banks and Payment Providers to Connect to the System
Commercial banks will be able to connect to the national payment switch as direct participants.
Payment organisations, payment system operators and electronic money operators will also be permitted to connect directly to the infrastructure, although their transactions must be settled through a settlement bank.
All participants will be required to maintain sufficient liquidity to meet settlement obligations.
They must also comply with anti-money laundering requirements, maintain the confidentiality of payment information and ensure the protection of personal data.
These obligations are intended to support the secure and reliable operation of the centralised payment infrastructure.
Connection Applications Subject to Regulatory Review
Organisations seeking access to the national payment switch must submit a written or electronic application to the Central Bank.
The regulator will assess whether applicants meet the established requirements and evaluate the risks associated with their connection to the system.
Following the initial review, the Main Informatization Centre will conclude an agreement with the applicant, conduct technical testing and submit the results to the Central Bank.
Based on the findings, the regulator will decide whether to approve or reject the application.
The application review process may take up to 30 working days.
Cybersecurity and Risk Management Requirements
The Central Bank will assess applicants' operational and technical readiness, cybersecurity arrangements and risk management systems.
The review will cover internal technical documentation, testing results, information security policies, protective measures, risk assessments, established limits and control mechanisms.
The regulations also introduce transparency requirements for the connection process.
A complete list of assessment indicators, their threshold values and verification methods must be published on the official websites of the Central Bank and the Main Informatization Centre.
The regulator will not be permitted to reject applications based on criteria that have not been publicly disclosed.
National Payment Switch Scheduled for 2027
The establishment of a national payment switch follows an instruction issued by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in November 2025 to create a unified system for processing all domestic payments in soums.
The Central Bank was tasked with preparing the necessary legal and regulatory framework by the end of 2026 to enable the system's launch in 2027.
The newly approved regulations establish the operational, technical and regulatory requirements for the infrastructure and its participants.
The national payment switch is intended to centralise domestic retail payment processing while strengthening transaction security, operational resilience and oversight of Uzbekistan's cashless payment system.
