In Uzbekistan approved minimum requirements for cybersecurity and fraud protection in remote financial services

By Resolution of the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated January 21, 2026 No. 3759, the Regulation on minimum requirements for ensuring information and cybersecurity, as well as preventing fraud in the provision of remote financial services to individuals by credit institutions, payment organizations, and payment system operators, has been approved. The document was registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on January 21, 2026 and is scheduled to enter into force on April 22, 2026.

Competent authorities

The Regulation was developed and approved by the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which establishes minimum standards for credit institutions, payment organizations, and payment system operators in the provision of remote financial services to individuals.

Main objectives of the document

The Regulation is aimed at strengthening the protection of users of remote financial services, enhancing information and cybersecurity in the banking and payment sectors, and developing practical measures to prevent fraud in online transactions.

Key requirements

According to the approved requirements:

enhanced client identification during registration and use of banking and payment system mobile applications, including mandatory verification of phone numbers and user data;

users are allowed to link to their accounts only their own bank accounts, cards, and electronic wallets, or those belonging to close relatives, with P2P transfers limited to such accounts;

credit and payment organizations are required to apply biometric identification methods with liveness detection to prevent identity verification using static images;

after three incorrect attempts to enter a one-time password, access to the application is temporarily blocked, and login attempts from a new device require re-identification.

Significance for the banking system

The approved Regulation represents an important step in adapting Uzbekistan’s banking sector to the digital transformation of financial services, ensuring stronger consumer protection and reducing the risks of online platforms being used for fraudulent purposes.