Central Bank Chairman Timur Ishmetov outlined the plans at the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent. The strategy covers the development of the sector through 2030 and includes regulatory reforms, new digital finance initiatives and measures to strengthen the country’s fintech ecosystem.
The Central Bank plans to launch an upgraded regulatory sandbox in 2026–2027, allowing companies to test new financial products and technologies under controlled conditions. An Innovation Hub is also expected to begin accepting residents in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Human capital development is another key part of the strategy. In cooperation with the National University of Singapore and the Global Finance & Technology Network, Uzbekistan plans to train 5,000 young people in modern financial technologies by 2030.
Ishmetov also said the Central Bank was testing a central bank digital currency and expected to present the results of the trials in the near future.
The National Strategy for the Development of Financial Technologies for 2026–2030 was developed under a presidential decree and sets out the priorities and targets for expanding Uzbekistan’s fintech market. Alongside the $1 billion investment goal, the broader program aims to increase the number of licensed market participants and support the growth of new startups.
The full version of the strategy is expected to be presented at a later date.
