Banks are required to leave 50% of the minimum wage on borrowers' cards when deducting credit debts
In Uzbekistan, starting in January, banks will be prohibited from debiting all money from borrowers' cards to pay off loans. According to the rule approved by the Central Bank, at least 50% of the minimum wage (currently 680 thousand soums) must remain on the cards.
Banks Obligated to Leave 50% of MW on Borrowers' Cards When Deducting Loan Debts
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has introduced a restriction for commercial banks on the automatic deduction of funds from borrowers' bank cards to pay off loan debt.
According to the changes, if a bank deducts money from a client's card accounts on a direct debit basis — without a separate instruction from their side based on a loan agreement or a guarantee agreement — a minimum non-reducible balance equal to 0.5 of the minimum wage (MW) must remain on the cards. Currently, this amounts to 680 thousand sums.
The amendments will take effect three months after the publication of the document — from January 10, 2027.
In April, the Uzcard payment system reported the introduction of a minimum non-reducible balance for direct debiting from bank cards in the amount of 3 BAV (1.32 million sums).
Earlier, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan expressed concern about the growing debt burden of the population and, above all, the ability of borrowers to service loans. In 2025, 93% of the population's debt obligations were accounted for by bank loans.