UZCARD limits automatic debt deductions from bank cards

The new rules, effective April 15, require a minimum protected balance to remain in accounts subject to automatic, non-consensual bank-initiated debits. Money equivalent to at least three Base Calculation Amounts (UZS 1.236 million) must remain in the account after any such deduction is made. UZCARD stated that automatic deductions will now only be carried out on funds exceeding this threshold, ensuring that debits no longer reduce balances to zero.

The company implemented the necessary technical updates in collaboration with participating banks. These changes do not apply to cards where banks obtained customer details directly with explicit confirmation via a one-time password. Such debits are primarily used to recover debts owed to banks and other financial institutions, including loans, installment plans, and other obligations.

In August 2025, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan proposed amendments to the minimum requirements governing banks’ customer relations, citing specific violations in the lending sector. The regulator highlighted cases in which state-subsidized benefits were deducted from customers’ cards to repay loans, leaving vulnerable citizens without their targeted support.

The amendments, approved in late October, prohibit banks from seizing social benefits and state financial aid. Furthermore, banks are now barred from demanding early repayment ahead of the schedules established in official loan agreements.