As part of the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum, the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan hosted a meeting with a Saudi Arabian delegation headed by Khaled Alkhattaf, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority.
The meeting was attended by Timur Ishmetov, Governor of the Central Bank; Abror Mirzo Olimov, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank; heads of the Bank’s relevant structural divisions; and representatives of the Saudi Arabian delegation.
At the beginning of the meeting, representatives of the Saudi Arabian delegation commended the reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan in recent years to improve the investment climate, develop the financial sector and advance the digital economy.
During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on developing cooperation between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia in the field of financial technologies, expanding the digital payments ecosystem, studying international experience in e-wallet services, as well as regulatory and licensing requirements in this area.
The parties also discussed Barq FinTech’s experience in the Saudi Arabian market, including its approaches to digital wallets, domestic and international money transfers, payment solutions for merchants and service providers, and other innovative financial services.
The Central Bank provided information on ongoing efforts to develop financial technologies in Uzbekistan, including the National Strategy for the Development of Financial Technologies for 2026–2030, regulatory mechanisms aimed at testing innovative solutions, the Innovation Hub, and initiatives to support fintech startups.
The parties paid particular attention to exchanging experience in the fintech sector, continuing technical consultations, as well as studying the potential business model that may be proposed by Barq FinTech, its market entry approach, legal and operational structure, and opportunities for cooperation with local partners within the framework of applicable legislation and regulatory requirements.
The Central Bank expressed its readiness to organize additional technical meetings with the participation of relevant structural divisions and to consider regulatory approaches regarding the proposals to be submitted in accordance with established procedures.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties expressed their readiness to continue dialogue on developing Uzbekistan’s digital financial services ecosystem, studying international experience and expanding practical cooperation in the fintech sector.
