The financial landscape in Uzbekistan is reportedly shifting as contactless payments gain traction, with public transport, grocery stores, and dining establishments emerging as the most frequent use cases. According to recent disclosures, the single largest transaction processed through the newly introduced system reached 8.4 million soums.
Svetlana Khe, Chairperson of the Management Board of Uzum Bank, purportedly stated that the introduction of Apple Pay represents a major milestone in integrating the country into the global fintech ecosystem. She alleged that local consumers had long anticipated this functionality, leading to an immediate surge in active usage following the rollout.
The service allegedly enables contactless transactions via iPhones and Apple Watches, alongside in-app and web-based payments. Representatives claim that transaction security is maintained by substituting actual card numbers with unique device account numbers, though independent verification of these security measures remains limited.
In an effort to promote adoption, the financial institution reportedly distributed a total of $102,92.00 in cashback rewards during the launch campaign. Furthermore, users were promised full cashback up to 50,000 soums for their initial transaction processed through the newly integrated payment method.
Source: uznews.uz