Uzbek banks may block inactive cards after 12 months

Banks in Uzbekistan have been able to block bank cards that have not been used for 12 months. This was reported by the press service of the Humo payment system.

"According to the current rules, banks can block cards that have not been processed for more than 12 months," the report says.

To avoid unexpected blocking, Humo cardholders are advised to temporarily block unused cards via the humocardbot Telegram bot. The company stressed that this will provide additional security and prevent their possible blocking by the bank.

Previously, the portal Bankers.uz he said that banks have started warning customers about possible forced blocking of cards that have been inactive for more than a year. The publication attributed this to the new requirements of the Central Bank. However, the regulator itself has not officially confirmed the introduction of such standards for commercial banks.

Temporary procedure for opening bank cards

From January 1 to December 31, 2025, Uzbekistan has a temporary procedure that limits the number of bank cards that one person can have. The limit is set at 20 cards, including virtual and co-branded ones. No more than five cards can be opened in one bank. However, the restriction does not apply to cards issued in a foreign currency.

According to the Central Bank, as of December 2024, about 97% of individuals (22 million people) owned no more than five cards. Another 3% (770 thousand people) had from 5 to 20 cards, and 0.03% (7 thousand people) had more than 20 cards.

In addition, the regulator identified platforms disguised as investment projects, in which 67 people used 1,626 bank cards. During the investigation, it was established that 715 cards belonging to 24 owners were used for financial transactions on resources that have signs of fraudulent schemes. These include Tradezone AI, Consulting Control Session, and Scode Capital.

The Central Bank explained the introduction of temporary restrictions by the need to combat fraud related to bank cards. The new system will allow card data to be synchronized with the Central Bank's information system.

Banks were also ordered to notify customers about the number of cards they have opened. The information will be sent via push notifications or SMS in mobile apps.