China’s leading digital payment platforms, WeChat Pay and Alipay, are set to be integrated with Uzbekistan’s national payment systems, including Uzcard and Humo, according to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.
The announcement was made by Miraziz Mirhayotov, Deputy Director of the Central Bank’s Payment Systems Department, during a media dialogue on April 11. He stated that technical preparations are underway, and negotiations with both Chinese platforms have begun.
The integration aims to simplify transactions for foreign tourists, particularly those from China, by enabling them to use their familiar mobile payment apps while in Uzbekistan.
“We are currently working in this direction, adjusting technical documents. Negotiations have begun with WeChat and Alipay on integration with national payment systems,” said Mirhayotov.
In response to a question about whether Uzbekistan might develop its own multifunctional super app—similar to China’s WeChat or Kazakhstan’s Kaspi.kz—Mirhayotov clarified that while such a concept had been included in a draft presidential decree on combating the shadow economy, it was only intended for foreign tourists, not for nationwide implementation.
The Central Bank believes launching a domestic super app could hinder the growth of the country’s fintech market, which is currently thriving with healthy competition among private players.
Instead of pushing for consolidation, the Central Bank supports interoperability with international systems, enhancing the ease of payments for visitors and, in the future, potentially allowing Uzbek citizens to make payments in China using Uzcard and Humo.
The integration will unfold in two stages:
- First stage – enable foreign tourists to use WeChat and Alipay for payments within Uzbekistan.
- Second stage – allow Uzbeks to use Uzcard and Humo for transactions in China.
In 2M25, 14,000 Chinese tourists visited Uzbekistan. From January to November 2024, a total of 66,600 Chinese nationals visited the country — a 56.8% increase, or 24,100 more visitors compared to the same period in 2023. This rise is linked to improving Uzbekistan–China relations, better connectivity, and growing interest in Central Asia’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
China retained its position as Uzbekistan’s leading trade partner in early 2025, with bilateral trade amounting to $2.08bn. While this marks a slight decline from $2.12bn in 2024, the figure remains well above the $1.33bn recorded in 2023, representing 19.2% of Uzbekistan’s overall trade volume.
