Central Bank survey: People prefer mid-value notes and rarely use UZS 200,000 bills

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has published the results of a survey on citizens' cash usage habits, revealing which banknotes are in highest demand, how people check for authenticity, and how frequently they withdraw cash from ATMs.

A total of 14,259 respondents participated in the survey on the organization of cash circulation and payment practices.

According to the findings, the most in-demand banknote among the population is the UZS 10,000 note, preferred by 21% of respondents. It is followed by the UZS 50,000 note (19%) and the UZS 5,000 note (16%). Banknotes in denominations of UZS 1,000, UZS 2,000, and UZS 200,000 were found to be the least used.

While 41% of respondents said they do not need small-denomination notes, 28% indicated a strong need for them.

Survey participants also shared how they verify banknote authenticity. The most common method is checking the security thread (31%). Others rely on inspecting raised images and observing color shifts when the note is tilted. Watermarks remain the least preferred method for verification.

Regarding ATM withdrawals, one-quarter of respondents said they prefer receiving UZS 50,000 notes, while 22% choose UZS 100,000 notes. Nearly half of those surveyed withdraw cash from ATMs one to two times per month, and around 18% do so more than five times monthly.