Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has introduced temporary limits on the number of bank cards that can be issued to a single user.

According to the new regulation, an individual may have up to five cards with a single bank and up to 20 cards across all banks.

The restriction applies to both physical and virtual cards, including co-branded cards. However, cards issued in foreign currency are exempt from the limit.

As part of the regulation, banks are required to block cards that have not been used for transactions for 12 months. Banks must notify cardholders before blocking their cards.

The regulator stated that this measure aims to prevent fraud and reduce the risks of using bank cards in suspicious schemes.

In late November, the Central Bank announced plans to introduce such limits after discovering fraudulent use of cards issued in large quantities to individuals, often without their knowledge.

According to the Central Bank, as of 1 November 2024, over 54.9 million bank cards were in circulation, and by early December, the number had exceeded 56.9 million.

This new regulation will be in effect from 1 January to 31 December 2025, and is intended solely for internal use by commercial banks.