Starting October 27, residents of Uzbekistan gained the ability to use Apple Pay and Google Pay for contactless payments. Owners of iPhones and Android smartphones can add bank cards to digital wallets and pay with them via compatible POS terminals. The launch of the services will also simplify transactions for foreign tourists, who will be able to use familiar payment methods while traveling across the country.
At the initial stage, Apple Pay is supported by eight banks and financial institutions: Uzum, Orient Finans Bank, National Bank of Uzbekistan, Kapitalbank, Hamkorbank, Ipak Yuli Bank, TBC Bank, and Octobank. Depending on the issuer, Visa and Mastercard cards are available. Android users can connect supported cards to Google Wallet via their banking app or directly in the digital wallet. An NFC-enabled smartphone or a compatible smartwatch is required for payment.
Marcin Krasuski, a representative of Google Cloud, announced the launch of Google Pay on October 19 at an event in Samarkand as part of the Central Asia and US meetings in the C5+1 format. On October 22, the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan confirmed the imminent arrival of Apple Pay. Both services are now available to users, though the ability to connect a specific card depends on the bank, payment system, and card type. As technical integration progresses, the list of supported cards and financial institutions may expand.