2026-04-26 19:20
publication
2026-04-26 19:20
In Uzbekistan, for the past three weeks, many goods and services can only be paid for without cash. Residents notice that the pace of changes is outpacing the adaptation capabilities of part of society. Many people complain about losses and queues at ATMs. The authorities explain the reform by fighting the gray zone and increasing control over finances.
As the Radio Swoboda website recalled, from April 1 this year. In Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia, regulations restricting the use of cash came into force. They stipulate that payment for many goods and services must be made only in non-cash form. The changes were introduced by presidential decree, and their declared main goal is to reduce the gray zone and increase the transparency of financial transactions.
The new regulations include, among others: payments for public and municipal services, purchases of alcohol, tobacco products and fuel, as well as real estate and car transactions. You should also pay cashless goods and services of high value, exceeding the threshold of 25 million sums (approx. PLN 7,500 – PAP). The reform is part of a broader strategy of the authorities, which seeks to reduce the gray zone and increase the share of electronic payments in trade and services.
In practice, however, the changes cause difficulties for some residents. As Radio Swoboda notes, People who previously use cash mainly are forced to make more frequent withdrawals from ATMs or use cards, which involves additional costs.. In some cases, commissions for financial operations reach approximately 3%. (they are not regulated by the state, they result from the rates of intermediary commercial entities – PAP), which increases real purchase prices.
– Not everyone works in the budget sector. Many people trade in marketplaces or elsewhere. They use cash. They must use payment systems. And the commission for topping up the card in these systems is 3%. amount paid. From 100 thousand it becomes 97. For this amount we buy gasoline or gas,” explains entrepreneur Chajotillo Baybayev to journalists.
An additional problem is queues at ATMs and limited availability of cash, especially in regions outside large cities. Users also complain about insufficient payment infrastructure and difficulties for older people and those less familiar with technology.
The new rules have made life especially difficult for drivers. According to them, the process that previously took a few minutes now takes significantly longer. Commission of 3%. when topping up the card, queues at ATMs and interruptions in Internet access led to long traffic jams at gas stations.
– Where's the justice? Where is the help and making people's lives easier? There is no justice, there is nothing! — outraged the person addressing the president (of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev – PAP) in a recording circulating on social media. — We have elected you as the leader of the nation. We voted for you. You should know that ordinary people are suffering. We give 3 percent to some company without justification (…) – appeals a citizen of Uzbekistan.
Economist Chidirnazar Allakulow believes that the authorities have poorly prepared for the introduction of the new rules.
– Preparatory work had to be carried out. You had to give people time. In the most remote regions, conditions had to be created for the inhabitants – they had to be provided with ATMs. Not everyone has payment cards. We had to give them time to develop them,” he claims. “In our case, the leader announces the decision and it immediately comes into force.
Experts point out that similar reforms are typical for countries transitioning to a cashless economy, but they require developed infrastructure and social trust. In Uzbekistan, this process is progressing quickly, but – as residents emphasize – the pace of change is ahead of the adaptation capabilities of part of the society. (PAP)
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