Uzum Bank review

The monthly fee on the standard account is UZS 0, so there is no recurring charge for keeping the card. Cash withdrawals are covered by an ATM allowance of UZS 10,000,000. Because the card draws directly on your bank balance, there is no interest to pay on spending in the way a credit card would charge.

Uzum Bank is supervised by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and holds a licence 88. It is a regulated bank operating under national rules, rather than an app or a peer-to-peer platform that simply holds your money for you.

It is a debit card, listed as debit, which means spending comes straight out of the balance in your account. There is no borrowing element, so you cannot spend more than you hold. A virtual card is also available, which gives you separate card details for online shopping.

The card runs on the Visa network, recorded as visa, so it is accepted wherever Visa is taken. That matters most for purchases in shops and online rather than for the currency you hold, which is the Uzbek som.

The account includes free ATM withdrawals of UZS 10,000,000. Because this is a set sum rather than a monthly count, heavier users of cash machines will reach it sooner. If cash is not your main draw, the allowance should cover ordinary needs.

It suits people living in Uzbekistan who want a card for everyday spending with nothing to pay each month. The monthly fee of UZS 0 and the visa network make it a plain, low-cost option. Travellers who need to hold and convert several currencies would be better served by a multi-currency account.

The bank is headquartered in Uzbekistan, listed as UZ, and the legal entity behind the app is AJ Uzum Bank. That places the account firmly in a single market, which is worth weighing if you expect to travel or hold money in other currencies.