Vakhtang Butskhrikidze, CEO of TBC Group, stated: "This year has been significant for TBC Uzbekistan due to remarkable achievements. Our recent capital investments reflect our confidence in the vast potential of this rapidly growing market. Currently, TBC Uzbekistan contributes 9% to the Group's net profit and constitutes 44% of our unsecured consumer loan portfolio. Its role within the Group is critical and will continue to strengthen. The new capital will accelerate growth and innovation, enabling us to create even greater value for our clients and investors."
Nika Kuridian, CEO of TBC Group Operations in Uzbekistan, added: "The record capital raised in 2024 confirms the transformational progress we have made. These investments enhance our capabilities for rapid scaling, offering modern banking solutions to an even broader audience. We are not just growing—we are changing the perception of banking for millions of customers in Uzbekistan. Our team has made significant strides this year, and we look forward to 2025 to continue providing financial services that are becoming simpler, smarter, and more accessible for everyone."
In 2024, TBC Uzbekistan significantly expanded its presence, reaching 17 million unique registered users by September 2024. This means that over 40% of Uzbekistan's population utilizes the company's ecosystem services, reinforcing its position as a leading digital banking ecosystem in Central Asia.
In addition to attracting new capital, TBC UZ secured $105 million in wholesale financing during 2024, continuing to diversify its funding sources. The bank's loan portfolio showed robust growth, increasing by 99% year-on-year over the first nine months of 2024 and reaching $460 million.
The total amount of wholesale financing for the year includes $10 million from the Luxembourg-based Global Gender-Smart Fund (GGSF) through one of the managers, Triple Jump; $40 million from FMO; $20 million in credit lines from responsAbility Investments AG; $25 million in debt financing from BlueOrchard; and $10 million in loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Amid profitable scaling of its core business in 2024, TBC Uzbekistan expanded its product range and entered new market segments. Among the new products introduced was the Salom Card debit card, which will become the flagship product for everyday banking and the main entry point into the TBC Uzbekistan ecosystem.
The bank also launched the Osmon Card—the first product with a renewable credit limit aimed at increasing customer loyalty. For small and medium-sized businesses and individual entrepreneurs, TBC Business was introduced—the first fully digital banking service in the country.
In 2024, TBC Uzbekistan made significant progress in utilizing advanced technologies and strengthening its infrastructure. Achievements include its own speech recognition technology and the use of AI agents for processing payment reminder calls. In the third quarter of 2024, such agents handled over 40% of loans in early-stage default, enhancing operational efficiency while maintaining high-quality customer interactions.
The bank also launched its own processing center, accelerating the development of financial products and reducing the time to market for new offerings.
Additionally, TBC Uzbekistan established strategic partnerships with Visa and Mastercard, allowing for an expanded range of services and reinforcing its leadership in the digital banking ecosystem of Central Asia.