Over the week, mobile apps of Central Asian and Caucasian banks received almost three dozen updates. Developers are shifting focus from basic transfers to audience retention through non-financial services, social mechanics, and travel features.
Trend of the week: going beyond finance
Banks continue to build up lifestyle services to increase the frequency of customer contact and secure SuperApp status. In Kazakhstan, Freedom SuperApp integrated the BilimClass section for checking school homework.
Following a notable growth in its loan portfolio, ForteBank is also expanding functionality to retain its audience and adding an “Auto” section with information about the user’s vehicle.
In Uzbekistan, Uzum Bank is testing a subscription mechanic for transactional activity. Judging by the description of the latest app version in stores, when spending from 500,000 soums per month, the client gets free transfers, cash withdrawals, and public transport rides.
Azerbaijan’s ABB, which previously discussed buying a stake in Uzbekistan's Davr Bank, took the path of digitizing routine in its ABB mobile update. The bank introduced AI-based personal financial managers (AI-nur and AI-khan) and integrated with the Bakıkart transport system to generate QR tickets.
Update of the week ⭐: social banking in Kyrgyzstan
Bakai Bank added a bill-sharing feature in the app’s internal chat. According to release notes in the App Store and Google Play, this eliminates the need for users to send details in third-party messengers.
For the market, this is a strong product move: the bank takes the social scenario inside its infrastructure, increasing customer engagement. The same update announced a face payment feature — Face Pay.
Feature race: focus on travelers and payment convenience
In Kazakhstan, banks are adapting services for those traveling abroad, choosing different approaches. The latest release notes for Bank CenterCredit’s bcc.kz app announce support for UnionPay QR and WeChat QR. This allows clients to pay for purchases with a smartphone in China and Asian countries directly from their account. Concurrently, Bereke Bank added a special Travel mode for users abroad and digitized credit card issuance.
In Tajikistan, Alif updated its payment mechanics. Now the app can scan card data and service details from an uploaded screenshot. For the user, this means no more manual entry of numbers from old receipts or photos.
Uzbekistan’s TBC Bank automated savings management: deposits are now renewed automatically, and partial withdrawals without losing interest have appeared. In Kyrgyzstan, Optima Bank brought digital card issuance to the app’s main screen, shortening the customer journey to the product.
What’s next
The further battle will unfold over the frequency of use. The winning service is the one the client opens every day to pay for parking, check a child’s school diary, or split a lunch bill.
Bank apps are testing the hypothesis where they become a single control panel for routine, taking a share of daily traffic from messengers, travel services, and marketplaces.
