Doron Avni, Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Emerging Markets, linked the launch of Google Pay in Uzbekistan to changes in personal data legislation. According to him, the authorities revised the previous requirements, abandoning the mandatory storage of all information exclusively within the country. Instead, a more flexible system has been introduced that takes into account data categories and provides a balanced approach to data protection.
Avni believes that clear rules aligned with international standards allow global tech companies to launch their products faster. In his assessment, the arrival of Google Pay opens up access to digital payments for millions of residents of Uzbekistan and shows how regulatory changes can impact everyday life. The launch of the service was announced during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Uzbekistan for a meeting of the foreign ministers of the C5+1 format in Samarkand.
The Google representative also highlighted other promising areas of cooperation between the two countries: cybersecurity, cloud services, and digital education. He thanked the Uzbek government, U.S. Ambassador Jonathan Henick, and Google employees involved in the project. According to Avni, this case demonstrates that practical legislative changes can accelerate the adoption of international technologies and expand users’ access to digital services.