Uzbekistan's Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in seven months to $2.3B | TechCrunch

"Uzum quickly grew into Uzbekistan's leading "digital ecosystem," as it describes its business, combining e-commerce, payments, and consumer lending. Uzum began with an e-commerce marketplace, Uzum Market, and has since expanded into financial services through its digital banking arm, Uzum Bank, and consumer lending platform, Uzum Nasiya. The startup also operates an express food delivery service, Uzum Tezkor, as part of its strategy to build an integrated ecosystem spanning commerce, payments, and banking."

"The valuation stems from a $131.5 million investment led by sovereign wealth funds from Oman, with participation from existing investors including Tencent, VR Capital, and FinSight Ventures. This round comprises $81.5 million in equity and $50 million in convertible financing tied to Uzum's next funding round, as the startup targets a potential $250 million to $300 million pre-IPO raise in the second half of 2026 or early 2027."

"Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most populous country, emerges as one of the region's fastest-growing digital economies, driven by a young population, rapid smartphone adoption, and low penetration of online retail and banking services. At the time of its previous funding round in August 2025, Uzum reported more than 17 million monthly active users on its platform. Today, the ecosystem reaches about 20 million users—more than half of Uzbekistan's adult population."

Uzum, founded in 2022, has become Uzbekistan's first unicorn and fastest-growing fintech platform, reaching a $2.3 billion valuation—53% higher than seven months prior. The company secured $131.5 million in new funding from Omani sovereign wealth funds alongside existing investors including Tencent and VR Capital. Uzum operates an integrated digital ecosystem combining e-commerce, payments, consumer lending, and food delivery services. The platform serves approximately 20 million monthly active users, representing over half of Uzbekistan's adult population, and connects over 17,000 local sellers. The company targets a $250-300 million pre-IPO raise in late 2026 or early 2027. Uzbekistan's rapid digital growth stems from its young population, high smartphone adoption, and low existing penetration of online retail and banking services.

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