The National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP) has submitted a draft of new internal control rules for cryptocurrency services for public discussion. The document elevates the status of compliance officers, introduces restrictions for foreign founders, and regulates the procedure for reporting suspicious transactions.
What happened
Uzbekistan is revising anti-money laundering (AML) requirements for crypto-asset service providers. As reported by the specialized channel Uzbek Fintech, NAPP published draft amendments requiring companies to restructure their internal risk management.
Under the document, the employee responsible for internal control must now hold the position of deputy head of the company. Current rules allow this function to be assigned to regular management representatives. New crypto providers must appoint this specialist and submit their personal data to NAPP within a month of receiving a license.
The regulator is also introducing a filter for owners and top management. Residents of states that do not participate in international AML cooperation will not be allowed to act as heads or founders of crypto providers.
Technical oversight and client relations
The draft clarifies user identification mechanisms. Providers will be allowed to engage specialized third-party organizations to verify clients and authenticate their personal data. At the same time, crypto exchanges and exchangers must understand the nature of the client’s business and their ownership structure.
A separate block of amendments covers reporting suspicious transactions. Information must be sent to the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office exclusively through secure communication channels. These include electronic systems with cryptographic encryption, secure email, and a special personal account granted by NAPP.
If a client’s assets are frozen due to inclusion in lists of individuals suspected of terrorism involvement, the compliance officer must notify the user as soon as possible and explain the procedure for resuming operations.
Country and market
The tightening of rules for the crypto sector occurs amid a general strengthening of financial monitoring in the country. Finteqstan previously reported that the regulator tightened bank control over large cash transactions, lowering monitoring thresholds for individual transfers and corporate imports.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are recording an increase in financial cybercrimes. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, since the beginning of 2026, the joint anti-fraud system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Central Bank has blocked 18,838 bank cards linked to illegal activity and prevented the withdrawal of 29 trillion soums.
Why it matters
The crypto market in Uzbekistan is gradually losing its gray-zone status and receiving the same strict client identification standards as the traditional banking sector. Providers will have to invest in monitoring systems, revise staffing, and more thoroughly verify the sources of funds.
What’s next
The draft document is undergoing public discussion, which will last until August 22. Once the amendments are approved, existing market players will need time to align their internal procedures and personnel with the new standards.
