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Payment systems of Central Asia

Payment systems are the infrastructure layer on which cards, transfers and QR rest: national card schemes, interbank processing, instant-payment systems and the rules by which money moves between banks. In Central Asia and Azerbaijan most countries have their own national card scheme, and on top of it instant transfers, QR payment and cross-border corridors develop. This topic ties news about payment infrastructure from different countries into one stable frame.

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Payment systems of Central Asiacard schemes, instant payments, QR and transfersBanking software market mapwho builds core banking, loan origination, payments and integrations in the regionPaymentsthe general feed of news about payments and infrastructureRegulators of Central Asiawho sets the payment rules in the regionPayments in Kazakhstancards, QR and merchant infrastructure of a mature marketPayments in Uzbekistanthe national UzCard/Humo processing and wallets

Topic map

Why it is a separate topic

Payment infrastructure determines how cheaply and quickly money moves. It affects the cost of accepting payments, the speed of transfers and who controls the market's key rails.

What the layer consists of

National card schemes and interbank processing, instant-payment systems, QR standards, acquiring and the rules of settlement between banks. On top of this run apps, wallets and merchant services.

What matters to track

The launch and development of instant-payment systems, QR interoperability, fees, access to the infrastructure for non-bank players and cross-border links between countries.

Where to start

The hub ties news about payment infrastructure from different countries so that individual launches read as part of a shared regional picture.

Latest materials

Uzbekistan to ban web-based P2P transfers and tighten bank app logins

Uzbekistan to ban web-based P2P transfers and tighten bank app logins

Starting November 16, banks and payment services will bear full financial responsibility for fraudulent transfers made without OTP codes.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan|NewsAugust 18, 2026
Kazakhstan's foreign cashless payments grow 10-fold in six years

Kazakhstan's foreign cashless payments grow 10-fold in six years

The share of cashless payments abroad reached 93%. Online purchases and smartphone transfers drove the growth, while POS terminal transactions began to decline.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan|MarketsJuly 31, 2026
Kazakhstan's Unified QR Exposes Bank Tariff Battle for Business

Kazakhstan's Unified QR Exposes Bank Tariff Battle for Business

The universal payment system was supposed to free entrepreneurs from keeping multiple terminals at the checkout. In practice, the interbank service proved noticeably more expensive than the banks’ own QR solutions.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan|MarketsJuly 31, 2026
Apple Pay officially launches in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Apple Pay officially launches in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Local banks have opened access to contactless smartphone payments for customers. Uzbekistan is still preparing its legal framework for the launch.

🇹🇯 Tajikistan|MarketsJuly 29, 2026
Freedom Bank agrees to integrate QR payments with China's Weixin Pay

Freedom Bank agrees to integrate QR payments with China's Weixin Pay

Freedom SuperApp users will be able to pay for purchases in China by scanning local QR codes. The bank signed a memorandum with the TenPay Global platform.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan|NewsJuly 23, 2026
Two cards in one wallet: How Uzbekistanis pay and transfer money in banking ecosystems

Two cards in one wallet: How Uzbekistanis pay and transfer money in banking ecosystems

How the incompatibility of Uzcard and Humo and opaque fees prevent Uzbekistanis from managing money in a single app.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan|ResearchJuly 16, 2026
"Interbank Blindness": Why Kazakhstanis Manually Shuffle Money Between Banks

"Interbank Blindness": Why Kazakhstanis Manually Shuffle Money Between Banks

QR codes and instant transfers are the norm. Now, Kazakhstanis value a short, ad-free path and clear payment statuses over a bloated feature set.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan|ResearchJuly 14, 2026
Uzbekistan Prepares to Launch Apple Pay and Google Pay: Central Bank Confirms Start of Technical Work

Uzbekistan Prepares to Launch Apple Pay and Google Pay: Central Bank Confirms Start of Technical Work

The regulator has scheduled negotiations for autumn, while banks await bylaws to transfer data to foreign clouds.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan|ProductJuly 11, 2026

Key areas

Payments
  • Uzbekistan to ban web-based P2P transfers and tighten bank app loginsAugust 18, 2026
  • Kazakhstan's foreign cashless payments grow 10-fold in six yearsJuly 31, 2026
  • Kazakhstan's Unified QR Exposes Bank Tariff Battle for BusinessJuly 31, 2026
Banking products
  • From Retail to B2B: How TBC Bank Assesses the Transformation of Uzbekistan's Financial MarketJuly 9, 2026
  • Travel-Tech: How Banks Are Becoming the Main Tour OperatorsJuly 2, 2026
  • From Spending to Saving: Why Kazakh PFM Services Need a RebootJuly 2, 2026
Regulation
  • Notification Procedure: Uzbekistan Requires Marketplaces and Streaming Services to Report Operations to NAPPAugust 22, 2026
  • Central Bank of Uzbekistan allows banking app registration using a relative's phone numberAugust 17, 2026
  • ARDFM sets separate 5% capital limit for stablecoins in banksAugust 16, 2026