A rapidly growing financial safety trend is taking hold in Uzbekistan, where more than two million citizens have voluntarily restricted access to credit services in order to protect themselves from fraud and unwanted loans.

Over 2.2 million people had activated the self-ban service as of April 1, 2026, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

Who is using the service?

Men: 1,283,506

Women: 924,247

By age group:

26-35 years - 31%

under 26 - 24%

36-45 years - 24%

46-55 years - 12%

over 56 years - 9%

Explosive growth in demand

July 2025 - 33,000 users

October 2025 - 149,000

January 2026 - 438,000

April 2026 - over 2.2 million

The system allows citizens to voluntarily block themselves from taking loans, microcredits, or credit cards - either temporarily or permanently. It is designed to prevent fraudsters from opening loans in someone else’s name.

Users can activate or cancel the restriction for free via mobile apps, credit bureau platforms, government service portals, or in-person service centers.

The initiative comes as Uzbekistan continues to battle rising cybercrime. Over the past five years, more than 1.9 trillion soʻm has been stolen through digital fraud, with a portion linked to unauthorized online loans.

In a further protective move, the Central Bank has ruled that victims of fraudulent online loans will not be charged interest, penalties, or fines - and any wrongful payments must be refunded by court order.