Apple Pay and Google Pay now work in Uzbekistan

Paying with a phone has arrived in Uzbekistan. Google announced Google Pay at an event in Samarkand on 19 October 2026, and on 27 October both wallets started accepting cards of local banks: Apple Pay with eight banks and fintech services, Google Pay with nine.

Which banks and cards

At launch, Apple Pay works with the National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU), Kapitalbank, TBC Bank, Ipak Yuli Bank, Orient Finans Bank, Octobank, Hamkorbank and Uzum. Google Pay works with NBU, Kapitalbank, TBC Bank, Ipak Yuli Bank, Orient Finans Bank, Octobank, Uzum Bank, Aloqabank and AVO Bank. Both lists cover Visa and Mastercard only; not every bank supports both. The local Humo and Uzcard cards are not in the lists yet, although the Central Bank says they are part of the integration. More banks are expected to join.

What it means for travellers

The Tourism Committee expects the launch to make paying easier for visitors. The service is new, so here is our advice for your trip:

• If your card is already in Apple Pay or Google Pay at home, try paying with your phone at a contactless terminal. If the payment does not go through, pay with the same card: almost every terminal here reads Visa and Mastercard.
• Bring the physical card anyway, for terminals that do not take phones and for ATMs.
• The bazaar, street food and street taxis are still cash, in so'm.

More on money in our guide to cards, cash and tipping in Uzbekistan. On a trip with us, hotels, transfers, trains and the guide are paid before you fly, so only the bazaar, tips and the evenings are left for your pocket. Tell us your dates and we will put together a route for you.