Uzbekistan is finalising amendments to its personal data legislation in partnership with U.S. technology companies, the country’s president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, said in Washington on 6 November. According to the president, these changes will create the legal basis for the launch of global payment systems such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and also support the expansion of digital academies and startup-hubs across Uzbekistan.
The amendments concern the national law “On Personal Data” and its implementation of data localisation requirements. In particular, under the current law, Article 27-1 mandates that the personal data of Uzbek citizens which is processed using information technologies – including via the Internet – must be collected, systematised, stored and processed on technical means physically located in Uzbekistan and must be registered in the state database.
While the localisation requirement was introduced in April 2021, it has been cited as a barrier by major global tech and payment companies. According to industry reports, during negotiations in 2024, companies such as Apple and Google indicated that certain provisions of the personal-data law would need to be revised in order to link Uzbekistan-issued bank cards to their services.
As part of a government resolution adopted on 18 September, the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan together with the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan were instructed to hold negotiations by the end of 2024 with global payment platforms (including Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Alipay and UniPay) and report on proposals to revise legislation where necessary.
In a recent discussion in Tashkent on 18 July 2025, participants — including the president’s administration, fintech firms, and legal experts — emphasised that the main challenge is not the concept of localisation itself but the ambiguity in the law’s wording and the absence of clear implementing guidelines. This ambiguity has created “legal risks and slows down innovation,” including for payments, cloud infrastructure and AI-based services.
President Mirziyoyev said during his Washington briefing that the updated legislation will pave the way not only for payment systems, but also for the development of digital academies and startup hubs, thereby deepening Uzbekistan’s integration into the global tech ecosystem.
If implemented, the change would remove a major technical-legal barrier and open the door for local banks and fintechs to issue cards compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Currently, those services are not offered in Uzbekistan.
For Uzbekistan’s digital economy, this development is significant. Easier access to global payment platforms can boost consumer convenience, stimulate e-commerce growth, help international visitors, and strengthen fintech innovation in the country. However, analysts note that careful legislative drafting will be required to ensure data protection, clarity of roles (e.g., who is the “data operator”), and alignment with global compliance standards.
In short, Uzbekistan appears poised to revise its personal data law — a move aimed at removing a key hurdle for major international payment systems and supporting the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.
