Uzum Bank customers added more than 142,000 Visa cards to Apple Wallet and made over 60,000 payments worth 2.8 billion Uzbekistani soums—about $235,000—in Apple Pay’s first 24 hours in Uzbekistan. The figures offer an early indication of actual mobile-payment use, beyond sign-up numbers, for local banks and payment providers.
Everyday purchases drove early use
Uzum said repeat payments accounted for 48.3% of transactions during the first day. Public transport, grocery stores, restaurants and cafes were among the most popular spending categories, suggesting the service was used for routine travel and retail purchases.
The data covers only the first 24 hours, however. It does not yet show whether usage will persist, and Uzum has not disclosed transaction values by category or user-retention figures.
Uzum Bank was among the earlier banks in Uzbekistan to offer Apple Pay. Eligible Visa cards can be added to Apple Wallet and used to make payments through the service. The launch brings an international mobile-payment option into the everyday payment mix for local bank customers. Transaction volumes and repeat use will help indicate how widely the service is being adopted.
Uzum says its services reach over 20 million people monthly
Roman Lavrentyev, Uzum co-founder and chief operating officer and CEO of Uzum Fintech, called the introduction of international payment services a milestone for Uzbekistan’s digital economy. He said the rapid uptake reflected the market’s connectivity and consumers’ willingness to use digital financial services in daily life. Lavrentyev added that the group would continue investing to improve access to and convenience of modern financial services.
Founded in 2022, Uzum describes itself as a digital ecosystem in Uzbekistan, with businesses spanning online marketplaces, express delivery, digital and traditional banking, consumer lending and services for entrepreneurs. The company says its services reach more than 20 million users each month.
The 142,000 cards added and 2.8 billion soums in payments provide an early measure of Apple Pay activity within Uzum’s payments business. Further operating data will be needed to establish whether that initial use translates into sustained repeat transactions.