Uzbekistan regional finance and technology development

In August 2026, Uzbekistan hosted the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent. Organized by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Global Finance & Technology Network, the event gathered over 6,000 participants from 74 countries, including nearly 200 speakers and investors managing US$4 billion in assets.

Economic discussions focused on Uzbekistan’s goals to achieve investment-grade credit ratings, complete its accession to the World Trade Organization, and increase private-sector involvement. The country reported an 8.5% GDP growth for the first half of 2026 and a sovereign rating upgrade to Ba2 by Moody’s in June.

Regarding digital assets, Vyacheslav Pak of the National Agency of Perspective Projects noted that traditional tools are insufficient for regulating stablecoins and tokenized securities, emphasizing that future regulations must integrate with monetary policy and address anti-money laundering requirements.

The forum also highlighted the development of an Islamic digital economy. This follows the June 29, 2026, implementation of a new Islamic banking framework that established a dual banking system, allowing Islamic financial institutions to operate alongside conventional banks under a dedicated licensing regime and a Central Bank Council for Islamic Finance. Additionally, industry leaders such as Vince Henry Iswaratioso of DANA emphasized that standardized payment infrastructure, such as common QR standards, is essential for fintech growth to allow companies to focus on product improvement rather than building individual payment rails.