Funding to accelerate the expansion of Uzbekistan's leading fintech platform and e-commerce ecosystem

Uzum raises nearly $70 million in equity financing led by Tencent and VR Capital, with participation from FinSight Ventures
Uzum's valuation surges to ~$1.5 billion post-money, reflecting the company's rapid growth across fintech and e-commerce
Uzum Bank has emerged as the fastest-growing digital bank in Uzbekistan, issuing over 2 million co-branded Visa debit cards with embedded credit limits
Fintech services deeply integrated with Uzum's e-commerce ecosystem
Fresh capital will be used to help drive the rollout of digital lending and deposit products, expand the Visa debit card program, and further scale financial infrastructure -- with AI increasingly embedded across credit scoring, fraud prevention, and personalised user experiences

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Uzum, Uzbekistan's leading digital ecosystem, has secured nearly $70 million in equity financing from Tencent and VR Capital, with participation from FinSight Ventures--a U.S. fund focused on AI, fintech and super-app investments, and lead investor in Uzum's first equity round completed in March 2024.

Tencent is a world-leading internet and technology company with a diverse portfolio of innovative products and services. It is listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

VR Capital is a global alternative asset management firm with over $8 billion in assets under management. The firm has managed external capital for institutional investors since 1999, with a focus on investments in emerging and developed markets. VR Capital operates via its principal offices in New York and London.

This funding marks a significant increase in Uzum's valuation since the March 2024 fundraise, bringing the company's post-money valuation to approximately $1.5 billion, and comes against a backdrop of strong operating and financial traction delivered across key business segments.

Fintech momentum: Uzum Bank, the company's digital banking unit, is now the fastest-growing bank in the country. Since launching its co-branded Visa debit card with pre-approved credit limits in August 2024, Uzum has issued over 2 million cards in 1H 2025, introducing Uzbekistan's first embedded credit limit tied to a debit instrument. At the same time, Uzum's consumer credit business, anchored by its market-leading BNPL offering, has more than tripled its total financed volume (TFV) in the first half of 2025.

E-commerce engine: The e-commerce segment--powered by Uzum Market (the largest national marketplace) and Uzum Tezkor (Uzbekistan's leading express delivery service)--grew gross merchandise value (GMV) ~1.5x year-over-year in H1 2025. Uzum remains the only vertically integrated platform combining commerce and financial services at a national scale.

The company's breakthrough valuation and new investment reflect its unparalleled market position and ambition. The proceeds from this round will be used to accelerate the buildout of Uzum's proprietary fintech infrastructure, broaden its product suite, cementing its leadership across key verticals, and capture the full potential of Uzbekistan's rapidly expanding digital economy.

Richard Deitz, Founder and President, VR Capital:

"Uzum embodies a unique confluence of a proven business model and first-mover advantage in a structurally underserved market. We are deeply impressed by the quality of the team and the remarkable progress the Company has achieved to date. It is our privilege to support Uzum's continued growth through our investment."

Alexey Garyunov, Managing Partner at FinSight Ventures:

"We believe Uzum represents one of the most compelling fintech and e-commerce growth stories in Central Asia. Since our initial investment last year, the company has achieved remarkable milestones -- rapidly expanding its user base, launching new products, and driving monetization. The synergy across its diverse verticals has not only improved unit economics and reduced delinquency, but also lifted customer satisfaction and retention, reflected in a rising NPS and LTV. These dynamics mirror patterns we've seen in other breakout super-apps globally, and they're reinforcing Uzum's leadership in Uzbekistan's digital economy. We see enormous untapped potential to layer new services for both consumers and merchants on top of Uzum's existing platform. That's exactly why we're excited to double down in this new round and continue supporting Uzum on its journey."

Djasur Djumaev, Founder and CEO of Uzum:

"In just two years, Uzum has built the most comprehensive digital ecosystem in Uzbekistan. Today, we're reshaping how people shop, pay, and manage money. This new round of funding empowers us to deepen our fintech offerings and expand our leadership in digital banking and lending. We are delighted to welcome Tencent and VR Capital as new shareholders and proud to be working with tier-1 global investors who share our vision. It's also a vote of confidence in our strategy to integrate financial services directly within the country's largest e-commerce infrastructure."

About Uzum

Uzum is a digital ecosystem and the largest digital platform in Uzbekistan, providing services spanning e-commerce, express delivery, banking and fintech, and business development. The ecosystem includes Uzum Market, an online marketplace with a wide range of products and one-day delivery across the country; Uzum Tezkor, an express delivery service from restaurants and stores; Uzum Bank, a digital bank; Kapitalbank, the country's largest privately owned bank; Uzum Nasiya, an online unsecured lending service; and Uzum Business, an app for business customers. More than 17 million people -- over half of Uzbekistan's population, use Uzum services every month. Learn more at https://uzum.com/en/.

The Company is compliant with AML/FATFA proceedings and observes international sanctions regime in terms of its business operations and incoming and outcoming investments.

About Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most populous country and second-largest economy by nominal GDP, is undergoing a generational digital and financial transformation. With nearly 60% of its 37 million citizens under the age of 30, the country combines favourable demographics with strong GDP growth (6.5% in 2024) and rising consumer demand.

Despite high mobile penetration and rapidly expanding internet access (projected to exceed 87% by 2027), Uzbekistan remains significantly underbanked: over 40% of adults lack access to formal financial services, and digital lending and card issuance are still nascent. This creates a vast opportunity for fintech disruption -- particularly embedded finance models integrated with commerce.

E-commerce in Uzbekistan is expected to grow at a CAGR of 40-47% to reach $2.2 billion by 2027, according to KPMG, making it the fastest-growing digital consumer market in Central Asia. With strong government backing for financial inclusion, investment in digital infrastructure, and favourable regulatory reforms, Uzbekistan has become a launchpad for scalable digital finance and technology-driven platforms.

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