Apple Pay and Google Pay Launch in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan launched Apple Pay and Google Pay on October 27 following regulatory reforms that eased restrictions on storing personal data outside the country.
Apple Pay and Google Pay launched in Uzbekistan on October 27, 2026, enabling contactless payments via compatible smartphones and smartwatches. Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration, announced the rollout following high-level discussions with Google in September and regulatory reforms in March 2026 that relaxed restrictions on storing personal data outside the country.
Apple Pay currently supports Visa and Mastercard cards from eight financial institutions, including Uzum Bank and the National Bank of Uzbekistan. Google Pay supports cards from nine banks, with its arrival previously announced by Google Cloud during an event in Samarkand on October 19. To facilitate merchant adoption, the payment provider Click integrated Apple Pay into its online processing system.
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan is now working to integrate the national payment systems Humo and Uzcard into the digital wallets. This expansion is part of the National Fintech Strategy for 2026–2030, which aims to introduce Open Banking, develop cross-border payments, and attract further investment into the country's financial sector.
