Uzbekistan aims to link domestic payment systems with Chinese WeChat and Alipay for tourism payments

Chinese digital payment giants WeChat and Alipay will be integrated with Uzbekistan’s national payment systems, according to Miraziz Mirkhayotov, Deputy Director of the Central Bank’s Payment Systems Department. He shared this news on April 11 during a media dialogue, Spot reports.

In response to a Spot correspondent’s question about developing a super app similar to China’s WeChat or Kazakhstan’s Kaspi, the deputy director explained that this idea, included in last year’s draft presidential decree on combating the shadow economy, was intended only for incoming foreign tourists.

The Central Bank believes that launching such a super app domestically could slow the development of the fintech sector, which already enjoys healthy market competition. Instead of consolidation, Mirkhayotov proposed integrating Uzcard and Humo with international payment systems to make payments easier for visiting foreign tourists.

“We are currently working in this direction, making adjustments to technical documents. Negotiations have begun with WeChat and Alipay regarding integration with our national payment systems,” said Mirkhayotov.

He added that the first phase of the initiative focuses on enabling foreign tourists to make payments in Uzbekistan. The second phase will aim to allow Uzbek citizens to make payments in China using Uzcard and Humo.