More than 6,000 participants and 200 speakers from 74 countries gathered in Tashkent as Uzbekistan unveiled an ambitious fintech roadmap spanning digital payments, CBDCs, Islamic finance, investment and financial infrastructure.
Tashkent became a meeting point for the global financial technology industry as the inaugural Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum brought together policymakers, regulators, investors and technology leaders from 74 countries.
Co-hosted by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the three-day event attracted more than 6,000 participants and around 200 speakers, highlighting Uzbekistan’s growing ambition to establish itself as one of Central Asia’s leading financial and technology hubs.
Held under the theme Al-Jabr, referencing ninth-century mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, the programme focused on five areas shaping the next generation of financial services: open banking, digital assets and stablecoins, cross-border payments, Islamic finance, and innovation and investment.
Uzbekistan Sets Out Its Fintech Roadmap
One of the most significant developments from the forum was the unveiling of Uzbekistan’s National FinTech Strategy for 2026–2030.
The country is preparing a series of initiatives designed to strengthen its financial technology ecosystem, including a Central Bank Innovation Hub, an upgraded Regulatory Sandbox 2.0, a venture fund and a programme aimed at training 5,000 professionals.
Uzbekistan is targeting around 200 licensed fintech companies by 2030, up from approximately 100 today, while seeking to attract $1 billion in foreign fintech investment.
A $50 million Central Bank-backed venture fund is expected to support the development of the ecosystem.
The ambitions build on an increasingly digital domestic market. Digital payment adoption has already exceeded 70%, while Uzbekistan’s young population — with an average age of around 29 — provides a strong foundation for further growth. The country has also produced its first unicorn, Uzum, which is valued at approximately $2.3 billion.
Building the Infrastructure for Digital Finance
Digital currencies and next-generation payment infrastructure featured prominently throughout the forum.
The Central Bank outlined work on a wholesale central bank digital currency, designed to potentially operate as a settlement layer beneath privately issued stablecoins from licensed financial institutions.
The model is being researched together with GFTN, with a CBDC white paper being prepared and elements of the private-sector layer already being tested on a limited scale.
Cross-border payments were another major focus, particularly for Central Asia, where remittances remain an important part of regional economies. Discussions explored how new infrastructure, common standards and emerging technologies could reduce the cost and complexity created by traditional correspondent banking networks.
A New International Financial Centre
Uzbekistan also used the forum to advance plans for the Tashkent International Financial Centre, another major component of its strategy to attract international capital.
The planned centre is expected to operate under English common law, supported by an independent regulator and commercial court.
Its ambitions are significant: Uzbekistan is targeting at least $25 billion in investment and more than 10,000 jobs within five years through the initiative.
The announcement comes against a broader period of economic expansion. Uzbekistan’s economy has recorded average annual growth of around 6–7% over the past decade, expanding to approximately $180 billion.
Islamic Finance Emerges as Another Growth Engine
Islamic finance was a major theme on the final day of the forum, following an important regulatory milestone earlier this year.
New legislation that came into effect in June 2026 introduced a dual banking framework allowing standalone Islamic banks to operate alongside Islamic windows within conventional banks. The framework also established a Council for Islamic Finance under the Central Bank and introduced tax provisions supporting instruments including sukuk and Islamic leasing.
The Central Bank is now developing a national Islamic finance roadmap through 2030 together with the Islamic Financial Services Board.
The forum concluded with the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and GFTN signing an expression of intent to develop an Islamic digital economy, including plans for a cross-border regulatory sandbox based on open standards and greater cooperation around customer education.
From Tashkent to a Regional Fintech Gateway
Perhaps the broader message emerging from the three days was Uzbekistan’s intention to move beyond being primarily a fast-growing domestic market and become a platform connecting financial ecosystems across Central Asia and the wider Silk Road region.
The combination of regulatory reform, digital payment adoption, fintech investment, new financial infrastructure and international partnerships is creating the foundations for a considerably larger financial technology ecosystem.
Sopnendu Mohanty of GFTN described Uzbekistan as having the ingredients to become “Central Asia’s digital finance gateway.”
Central Bank Governor Timur Ishmetov delivered an equally clear invitation to the international technology and investment community: “Build here. Test new solutions here. Invest here. Develop talent here.”
With ambitious 2030 targets now on the table and the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum positioned to become an annual platform, Tashkent is increasingly presenting itself not simply as a participant in the transformation of Central Asian finance, but as one of the places seeking to lead it.
