The Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the World Bank convened a conference on policy measures and private capital mobilisation to increase the use of digital payments by individuals and improve access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Central Asia, linking these initiatives to the creation of new and more sustainable jobs. Participants included senior leadership from the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, the Central Bank, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, other international financial institutions, and private-sector leaders including fintech executives. Discussions highlighted recent improvements in credit access in Central Asia alongside growing adoption of alternative credit scoring, digital lending, and data-driven risk assessment, with particular attention to expanding credit access for women entrepreneurs. The conference also framed the growth of digital payment services as an enabler of job creation in emerging sectors such as freelancing and e-commerce, with potential benefits for youth, women, and rural communities. World Bank representatives presented the Financial Inclusion for Growth, Returns, and Opportunities for Work Program for Europe and Central Asia (ECA FIN-GROW), which is scheduled to launch in 2026 and is intended to expand access to capital and digital payments for individuals and SMEs in participating countries, improve access to credit resources, and support job creation.

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