Contact us

Market radar: what is happening in fintech in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

A brief overview for bank decision makers: where the two markets are heading, what apps banks offer and what they released over the past month.

Updated in October 2026. Data from our media outlet Fintechstan.

The region at a glance

Central Asia is not one market but several, each with its own logic. The two largest, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, follow different models, and a solution that worked in one country cannot simply be carried over to the other.

Kazakhstan is the most mature market in the region. Almost all card transactions here are cashless, and bank ecosystems set the tone: payments, instalments, marketplace and investments live in a single app. Banks compete for a place in the customer’s daily routine.

Uzbekistan is the main growth market. Its population is almost twice as large, cashless payments account for about half of retail transactions, and that share is growing. The market is built around payment apps, national card schemes and instalment plans from fintech companies, with banks catching up.

58 M
people live in the two countries: 20.4 M in Kazakhstan and 37.9 M in Uzbekistan
98% and 48%
cashless share: card transactions in Kazakhstan and retail in Uzbekistan
47
banks in the Fintechstan directory: 20 in Kazakhstan and 27 in Uzbekistan
33
app updates with new features in September

Two markets, two models

Kazakhstan

A mature market of bank ecosystems

20.4 M
population
~$300 B
GDP, 2025
~80%
of adults have a bank account
92,9%
use the internet
Cashless card transactions

98% of transactions by number and 87% by value. There is no room left to grow: banks compete on service, not on moving customers to cashless.

  • The app becomes an ecosystemBanks are adding insurance, partner instalment plans and everyday services, as September releases show.
  • Business clients move to the appGuarantees, deposits and certificates are issued without visiting a branch.
  • Open banking started with transfersSince February 2026, phone number transfers work across 12 banks.
  • Digital tengeThe pilot has been running since 2023, and its legal framework has been in force since 18 July 2026.
More about the market on Fintechstan
Uzbekistan

A growth market built around payments

37.9 M
population
~$147 B
GDP, 2025; growth 7.7%
56%
of adults have a bank account
48%
cashless in retail; a year ago, 44%
Inbound remittances, $ B

+28%year on year. Remittances are a payment market of their own: money arrives on cards and in apps.

  • Payment apps outpace bank appsClick and Payme are the entry point for mass-market customers.
  • Unified QRThe UzQR standard has been mandatory since July 2026, and apps are learning to pay with any code.
  • Instalments are fintech territoryTwo thirds of the instalment portfolio belongs to non-bank services.
  • Cashless payments are growingOver the year, their share in retail and services rose from 44% to 48%.
More about the market on Fintechstan

Market map: bank and fintech apps

Country
Type
Ownership

Showing 35 of 35. Click a column name to sort.

№AppTypeCountryOwnership
1Freedom BusinessFreedom BankBusiness bankingKazakhstanPrivate4,934,861 82631October 9
2Freedom SuperAppFreedom BankSuper appKazakhstanPrivate4,904,75228 15741October 15
3Bank RBKBankKazakhstanPrivate4,904,7377 03341October 27
4Bereke BankBankKazakhstanForeign4,884,0945 90152October 22
5Kaspi.kzKaspi BankSuper appKazakhstanPrivate4,854,691 243 60940October 27
6Ipak Yuli MobileIpak Yuli BankBankUzbekistanPrivate4,854,80342 73841October 23
7PaymepaymentsFintech serviceUzbekistanForeign4,844,661 144 09231October 28
8ForteAppForteBankBankKazakhstanPrivate4,844,9094 12622October 15
9TBC Bank UzbekistanBankUzbekistanForeign4,814,65797 76171October 27
10Click SuperApppaymentsSuper appUzbekistanPrivate4,814,74873 41521October 18
11Alifinstalments and paymentsFintech serviceUzbekistanForeign4,804,79401 51040October 28
12Uzum BankBankUzbekistanPrivate4,804,73329 82553October 27
13Alatau City BankBankKazakhstanPrivate4,774,56116 00420October 27
14Onlinebank for BusinessHalyk BankBusiness bankingKazakhstanPrivate4,774,7632 45611October 23
15TBC BiznesTBC BankBusiness bankingUzbekistanForeign4,754,1136340October 21
16Paynetpayments and transfersFintech serviceUzbekistanPrivate4,724,88250 43810October 21
17Bereke BusinessBereke BankBusiness bankingKazakhstanForeign4,674,313 00720October 23
18AnorbankBankUzbekistan—4,664,71465 56942October 26
19HalykHalyk BankSuper appKazakhstanPrivate4,644,82588 39420October 15
20BCC Business 2.0Bank CenterCreditBusiness bankingKazakhstanPrivate4,564,879 80274October 13
21Home.kzHome Credit BankBankKazakhstanPrivate4,553,9621 14722October 2
22WooppayFintech serviceKazakhstanPrivate4,434,852 30220October 22
23Kassa24 WalletFintech serviceKazakhstan—4,43—700July 24
24Solva.kzonline loansFintech serviceKazakhstanPrivate4,224,345 56130October 16
25bcc.kzBank CenterCreditBankKazakhstanPrivate3,773,9363 55223October 22
26OsonpaymentsFintech serviceUzbekistanPrivate3,764,7094 77100October 27
27Eurasian BankEurasian BankBankKazakhstanPrivate3,743,612 54310October 27
28HamkorHamkorbankBankUzbekistanPrivate3,703,8014 39220October 21
29ForteBusinessForteBankBusiness bankingKazakhstanPrivate3,653,712 16143October 17
30Uzum NasiyainstalmentsFintech serviceUzbekistanPrivate3,514,3718 48911October 12
31Halyk LifeinsuranceFintech serviceKazakhstanPrivate3,263,9715900June 27
32Prosper PayFintech serviceKazakhstanPrivate2,892,3252530October 13
33Otbasy BankOtbasy BankBankKazakhstanState-owned2,673,7621 38140October 20
34Altyn BankBankKazakhstanForeign2,602,476 19030October 21
35Nur24.kzNurbankBankKazakhstanPrivate1,842,532 45420October 22

App Store and Google Play ratings, rating counts and latest version dates are as of October 28, 2026; “Ratings” is the total across both stores. “Versions per month” is the number of versions released on the App Store in September; “With description” is the number of updates with a meaningful description captured by the Fintechstan radar (hover over the number to see what changed). “Super app” means the app describes itself as one on the App Store. “Owner” is based on the controlling shareholder as of October 2026; underlined values have a tooltip. A dash means no data or an undisclosed owner.

App updates: what banks released in September

September 2026

Updates with new features in apps across both countries

33
updates: 21 in Kazakhstan, 12 in Uzbekistan
19
bank and fintech apps
  • Business clients9 updatesBCC Business shipped four releases, ForteBusiness three: guarantees, deposits and statements are moving into the app
  • Payments and transfers8 updatesUzum Bank now pays via third-party QR codes without a card, ForteBank moved transfers by phone number to the home screen
  • Non-banking servicesSuper appFreedom added home insurance, Bank CenterCredit an insurance catalogue and cleaning service booking
  • Kaspi.kz and Halyk6 versionsUpdated every week or two, but without descriptions: the app store gives no clue what changed
What the updates covered: 33 releases by topic
  • Business clients9
  • Payments and transfers8
  • Cards4
  • Interface and usability4
  • Loans and instalments3
  • Security and login2
  • Deposits and investments2
  • Other1
Full September review: by bank, with ratings

Market context on these topics is available on our product and service pages, such as mobile and digital banking and loan origination pipeline.

Why we do this

We look at Fintechstan data through the eyes of those who build banking products: what is happening in the market that is worth factoring into your app, lending process or work with the regulator.

This page is updated monthly. To follow the market daily, use the Fintechstan Telegram channel.

Mobile bankAn app for individuals and businesses built on the bank’s design system DiscoveryWe test the idea with users before development Regulatory mapWhich rules apply, by when, and what to change
Send a request Tell us what needs to go live at your bank, and a manager will get in touch.
Brief or presentation, up to 10 MB
Draft of the “Market radar” page. Market texts and quotes pending review