SEC grants clearing exemptions for certain affiliate and non-U.S. repos
The relief covers specified transactions involving overseas counterparties and affiliates as the agency implements its Treasury clearing rules.
Apple Pay and Google Pay become available for Uzbekistan-issued cards
Support initially covers eligible cards from eight local institutions for Apple Pay and nine banks for Google Pay, with domestic networks still to be added.
Eligible cardholders in Uzbekistan can now access Apple Pay and Google Pay, Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, announced on October 27. The introduction follows reforms intended to make the country's financial services market more accessible to international technology providers.
Apple Pay's initial coverage includes Visa and Mastercard cards from eight local banks and financial institutions, though Uzum Bank and Hamkorbank offer support only for Visa. Cards from nine banks are supported by Google Pay.
Work to include the domestic Uzcard and HUMO payment networks is continuing, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan said, without giving a schedule. The central bank said the platforms safeguard card information during transactions; banks set their own cashback conditions and other benefits.
Changes to personal data legislation in March 2026 loosened restrictions on handling and keeping some information outside Uzbekistan. Mirziyoyeva connected those amendments with the introduction of international payment systems during September talks in New York with Google Vice President Karan Bhatia.
Uzbekistan already had mobile and contactless services, including HUMO Pay, UZCARD PAY and QR code payments. Separately, the central bank approved its National Fintech Strategy for 2026–2030 in September, setting out plans for investment, cross-border payments, Open Banking and better links between financial systems.