TBC Uzbekistan named among world's top fintechs again

TBC Uzbekistan has been named among the world's top fintechs in the neobanking category by CNBC and Statista for the second consecutive year.

The ranking is based on financial and operating metrics including revenue, profitability, customer numbers, lending and deposit growth, transaction volumes, market share and staffing data.

The recognition puts fresh attention on one of Central Asia's largest digital banking groups as competition intensifies among fintechs seeking scale in emerging markets. Since launching in 2020, TBC Uzbekistan has grown into one of the country's dominant financial services players.

The business reported more than 6 million monthly active users and ranks among the three leading financial services brands for consumers in Uzbekistan. It also describes itself as a top 10 consumer bank in the country, with more than 20% of the payments market and a leading position in consumer credit.

Business push

Alongside its retail operations, the group has been expanding TBC Business, its service for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Described as Uzbekistan's first fully digital solution for MSMEs, the unit has attracted more than 67,000 registered business customers since its launch in December 2024.

Business lending now makes up 18% of TBC Uzbekistan's total loan portfolio. The shift points to a broader strategy to diversify beyond consumer finance in a market where digital payments and mobile banking have expanded rapidly.

TBC Uzbekistan operates across consumer banking and payments through TBC UZ and Payme, while its business banking activities include TBC Business and BILLZ. The group is part of TBC Bank Group, which is listed in London and also operates as a major financial services provider in Georgia.

The group has also been investing in artificial intelligence across customer support, sales and collections. These efforts are supported by its own speech technology and Uzbek-language large language models.

More recently, it rolled out Lola, described as Central Asia's first AI banking assistant. The tool is designed to advise users and guide them through services across the wider ecosystem.

International profile

TBC Uzbekistan was the first company from Uzbekistan to appear in the CNBC and Statista fintech ranking when it made the list in 2025. Its return this year suggests sustained momentum as international investors and industry observers look more closely at frontier markets with large young populations and rising digital adoption.

Uzbekistan, the most populous country in Central Asia, has become an increasingly important test case for digital finance groups seeking growth outside more mature markets. TBC Uzbekistan has sought to position itself at the centre of that shift by combining payments, consumer lending and business services on a single digital platform.

The company says it reached profitability two years after launch, which it describes as a record pace among digital banks globally. It adds that TBC UZ and Payme are the top-of-mind brands in the capital, Tashkent, and rank among the leading banking and payments brands nationwide.

Nika Kurdiani, Chief Executive Officer of TBC Uzbekistan, commented on the ranking and the company's recent expansion.

"After becoming the first company in Uzbekistan to be included in this list in 2025, we are delighted to be featured once again this year. This reflects growing international interest in one of the world's fastest-growing frontier markets, as well as our ongoing market leadership and commitment to building a deep, profitable business in Uzbekistan. Over the past year, we have taken our ecosystem to the next level, scaling TBC Business to match our market-leading retail offering and transforming the customer experience through our pioneering use of AI. We are proud that this work has been recognised by CNBC and Statista, and that we continue to play an important role in putting Uzbekistan on the global agenda," said Kurdiani.