Banks in Uzbekistan will no longer allow customers to fully withdraw funds from bank cards to a zero balance. According to a new rule announced by the Uzcard payment system, starting April 15, for non-acceptance withdrawals to cover loans, installment payments (installments), microloans, and other obligations, a minimum balance of three times the Basic Living Minimum (BLM) amount (1,236,000 soums) must remain on the card.

Non-acceptance withdrawal refers to the automatic deduction of funds from a card without separate confirmation for each transaction, typically used to fulfill obligations to banks and other financial organizations and considered part of payment discipline. The new restriction means that even if a debt exists, withdrawals will only be processed within the amount exceeding the set minimum balance, and the card balance will not be zeroed out.

The payment system has already implemented necessary technical updates in collaboration with participating banks. Some banks, for instance, have begun sending notifications to customers about this change. However, this rule does not apply to cases where the customer independently enters card details and confirms the payment with a one-time code (OTP) – in such situations, funds can be withdrawn in full.

The restriction is being established at the payment system level. Currently, Uzcard has officially announced this update, and it is expected that a similar announcement will soon be made by the Humo system. These changes aim to enhance financial security and encourage customers to maintain payment discipline.

Source: www.gazeta.uz