Universal Bank JSCB

Universal Bank was founded on 20 March 2001; its Central Bank licence No. 68 was reissued on 25 December 2021. It is one of the few banks in Uzbekistan whose head office is outside the capital: it sits at 18 Shohruhobod Street in Kokand, Fergana region, and the Central Bank lists it among the country's private banks. The bank started by serving regional businesses in Kokand, opened its first Tashkent branch in 2003 and joined international money-transfer systems in the early 2010s; its 2025–2027 strategy focuses on digital services.

According to the list on its website, the bank has more than 40 banking services centres and offices, most of them in the Fergana Valley (Kokand, Fergana, the Margilan area, Namangan and Andijan regions), plus Tashkent city and region, Bukhara, Navoi, Karshi, Shakhrisabz and Samarkand. Individuals can get Uzcard, Humo, Visa (Classic UZS/USD, Infinite) and co-badged UnionPay cards, deposits in som and US dollars, consumer loans, microloans, car loans and mortgages; businesses are offered settlement services, 'First Step into Business' loans and the Universal Mobile Business app. The retail app, Universalbank, works in Uzbek, Russian and English.

For travellers

The bank runs more than 20 currency exchange points in Kokand and the districts of the Fergana Valley (addresses on the website map). International transfers are available through Western Union, Zolotaya Korona, Ria, Astrasend, Kwikpay, Profee, Unlimited Remit, Ucash, OlmaPay and BEST, as well as SWIFT payments in USD, EUR, GBP, CNY, RUB, KZT, KGS, TJS and TRY. The Visa Classic USD card is designed for spending abroad, and the UnionPay card works at UnionPay ATMs overseas. The website does not state whether ATMs dispense cash to foreign cards or whether non-residents can open accounts. Call centre: 1355.