The Uzbek payment system HUMO will not increase the cost of SMS notifications for its cards. The company itself announced this amid a general trend of rising tariffs for additional banking services in the country.
What is happening in the market
HUMO belongs to the National Interbank Processing Center of Uzbekistan and competes with international systems Visa and Mastercard, as well as local solutions. The decision to keep the previous tariffs makes the system stand out against other market participants, who have adjusted the cost of additional services in recent months.
SMS notifications remain one of the most in-demand services among cardholders in Uzbekistan. Users receive notifications about debits, account top-ups, and other transactions, which helps control expenses and increases the security of card usage.
Why it matters
For the Uzbek market, HUMO’s decision shows an intensification of competition between payment systems. Maintaining tariffs can become a tool for attracting new users and retaining existing clients, especially amid the rising cost of banking services.
Local payment systems in Central Asia often use price advantages to compete with international brands. In HUMO’s case, this can help the system strengthen its positions among partner banks, which will be able to offer clients more favorable conditions.
What is next
HUMO’s decision may force other market participants to reconsider their tariff policies. If the system indeed starts attracting more users due to stable tariffs, competitors may follow its example.
For HUMO’s partner banks, this is an opportunity to differentiate their offerings and emphasize the benefits of this system’s cards over international alternatives. This is especially relevant for the mass segment, where every sum of savings matters.