2.8 billion soums in one day: The launch of Apple Pay in Uzbekistan creates a real boom

28 October 2026, 18:37·64·Technology

A long-awaited event has taken place in Uzbekistan's digital financial market: the global payment system Apple Pay has been actively launched in our country, recording record-breaking activity within the very first day. In the first 24 hours, thousands of our fellow citizens tested the convenience of contactless payments via their smartphones in practice.

According to Uzum Bank data, on the first day of the service's launch, 142,000 of the bank's customers linked their cards to the Apple Wallet app and successfully completed payment transactions totaling 2.8 billion soums.

Sensational numbers from the first day: Where and how much was paid?

The first day's statistics for the Apple Pay system revealed the following noteworthy facts:

142,000 new users: Within the first 24 hours, 142,000 Uzum Bank customers successfully linked their Visa cards to the Apple Wallet system;
High rate of repeat payments: Among all transactions made, the share of repeat payments reached 48.3 percent — this shows that people are not just trying out the service, but have started using it actively in their daily lives;
Most popular categories: Users most frequently utilized the new payment method for public transport, supermarkets and grocery stores, as well as restaurants and cafes;
Largest single purchase: The largest single payment check recorded via Apple Pay during the first day amounted to 8.4 million soums;
1.2 billion soums in cashback distribution: As part of a special promotional campaign, 1.2 billion soums in cashback funds were paid out to customers in the first 24 hours.

Integration into global fintech and a special offer

This event is being assessed as a huge achievement for Uzbekistan's digital economy and banking infrastructure:

World standards in Uzbekistan: "The launch of Apple Pay is an important step in Uzbekistan's integration into global fintech: now, Uzbek citizens can freely use a modern payment method used by millions of people around the world. Our customers have been waiting for Apple Pay for a long time, and the first day fully confirmed this," emphasized Svetlana Xe, Chairperson of the Management Board of Uzum Bank;
Connection capability: Currently, Visa international cards issued by Uzum Bank can be instantly linked to the system;
100% cashback for new users: In honor of the service launch, the bank has announced a special promotion, according to which 100 percent cashback (up to 50,000 soums) is provided for the first purchase made via Apple Pay.

The entry of Apple Pay into the Uzbekistan market is significantly increasing the scale of cashless payments, taking the security and speed of purchases to a new level.