Uzbekistan officially launched the unified payment QR code system UzQR on July 1, aiming to simplify cashless transactions. However, the rollout has raised numerous questions from both consumers and businesses. Shoppers report missing familiar Payme and Click QR codes at checkout, while entrepreneurs struggle to understand mandatory requirements.
The system became mandatory for all trade and service entities under a presidential decree dated December 10, 2025. The document mandated the Central Bank to introduce a unified QR code and required all legal entities to accept electronic payments through it starting July 1, 2026. The operator is the Interbank Universal Netting Information System (MUNIS), which acts as an intermediary between banks and payment organizations.
UzQR is not a mobile app but a payment acceptance infrastructure for sellers. Buyers still choose their preferred payment app. Immediately after launch, issues emerged: some stores removed other QR codes, and users reported additional fees. Entrepreneurs received conflicting instructions, with some told to remove other QR codes initially, then allowed to keep them later.
A business owner told Podrobno.uz that after trying UzQR, some payments failed to process, and transaction tracking was inconvenient. As a result, his store now uses a mixed system with both UzQR and traditional QR codes. A reporter visiting a clothing store successfully paid via a bank app, but the cashier confirmed UzQR was available yet not displayed at the counter. Another shopper reported being unable to find a Payme QR code at a City Mall store.
The Central Bank set a base tariff of 0.65% per transaction, paid by the merchant. Economist Otobek Bakirov warned that additional fees could undermine the goal of promoting cashless payments. Payme representatives stated the launch had no dramatic impact on their operations, emphasizing the need to communicate facts to businesses. Click and Uzum declined to comment.
It is too early to draw final conclusions, as the system has been operational for only a few weeks. Meanwhile, experts from the Institute for Reducing the Shadow Economy have proposed replacing the current tax cashback system with prize draws to further encourage cashless payments.
Source: podrobno.uz