Uzbekistan to Introduce Mandatory Cashless Payments for Certain Goods and Services from 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan will significantly expand the use of cashless payments under a new Presidential Decree “On Additional Measures to Promote Cashless Transactions and Reduce the Shadow Economy” (No. PF–246 dated 10 December 2025).

The decree sets targets through 2030, including reducing the share of the unobserved economy by 1.3 times and increasing the proportion of cashless payments by the population in trade and services to 75%.

Mandatory Cashless Payments from 1 April 2026

Starting 1 April 2026, payment for certain goods and services will become exclusively cashless. This requirement will apply to:

• Services provided by government authorities;
• Payment for electricity, natural gas, and drinking water;
• Alcoholic and tobacco products;
• Sale of oil and gas products at gas stations and EV charging services;
• Goods and services costing more than 25 million soums;
• Purchase and sale of real estate, vehicles in categories M, N, O, and G (no older than 10 years), as well as special machinery.

Unified QR Code Becomes Mandatory

By 1 January 2026, all trade and service facilities must implement a unified QR code to accept electronic payments.

From 1 January 2026, legal entities will be required to accept electronic payments via a unified QR code generated by banks.

From 1 July 2026, accepting payments through the unified QR code system will become mandatory for all companies in trade and services, and failure to comply will be considered a violation of trade regulations.

Additional Control Measures

From 1 January 2026, environmental and relevant certificates for homogeneous goods under a single foreign trade contract will be issued once for a period of up to one year.

From 1 March 2026, as part of a pilot program, tax authorities’ employees and residents of the cities of Navoi and Chirchik will be required to submit an annual declaration of total income.

The new reform package aims to reduce shadow turnover, digitalize payments, and increase transparency in the country’s economy.