Signs of an imminent Apple Pay launch appeared in Uzbekistan on Oct. 27, when iPhone users gained access to a list of eight local banks and fintech services whose cards can be added to Apple Wallet.
The list surfaced when users tried to add the ATTO transit card to the Apple Wallet app and received a notification that bank cards issued in Uzbekistan can be linked. The banks and services listed are Uzum, Orient Finans Bank, National Bank of Uzbekistan, Kapitalbank, Hamkorbank, Ipak Yuli Bank, TBC Bank and Octobank. All support Visa, and all but Uzum and Hamkorbank also support Mastercard.
Apple said some banks may not support all card types, that the list will be updated as new banks join, and that users should check with their issuer whether a specific card can be added.
Uzbekistan did not yet appear on the list of Apple Pay countries on Apple’s website at the time of writing. The page was last updated on Oct. 19.
Google officially confirmed the launch of Google Pay on Oct. 19, and cards began to be linked to the service on Oct. 27.
Google’s website lists Uzbekistan among the countries where the Google Wallet app, contactless payments and the web version are supported. Users can pay with Android smartphones, Wear OS smartwatches and compatible Fitbit devices. The wallet can also store tickets, transit passes, loyalty cards and other digital documents, though availability of features depends on country, device and partners.
