Alipay+ has reached Uzbekistan through the national HUMO and UZQR system, WeChat Pay is still unconfirmed, and UnionPay works unevenly. What Chinese visitors can pay with, where, and what cash to carry, as of November 2026.
Facts, prices and schedules checked on November 4, 2026
Payments are the first practical question Chinese travellers ask about Uzbekistan, because in China a phone can pay for almost everything. The honest answer for November 2026 is that things are moving in the right direction but are not yet at the point where you can leave your cash at home. Alipay+ has reached Uzbekistan's national payment network, WeChat Pay is still in the discussion stage as far as we can confirm, and UnionPay cards work at many but not all ATMs and terminals.
This guide sets out what is known, what we could not confirm, and a simple payment plan for a trip. It complements our wider guide to travelling to Uzbekistan from China, which covers flights, visa-free entry and itineraries.
Does Alipay work in Uzbekistan?
Partly, and recently. Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee said in October 2026 that an Alipay+ payment gateway had been launched on the infrastructure of HUMO, one of the country's two domestic card networks, in August. In practice this lets users of Alipay and connected wallets pay at merchants that display Uzbekistan's national UZQR code, which is used by the HUMO and Uzcard systems.
Earlier figures show the direction of travel: HUMO reported more than 21,000 Alipay+ transactions worth over 19 billion som in the first five months of 2026, which suggests a pilot before the full launch.
What we cannot tell you is which specific shops, restaurants or hotels accept it today. Coverage is likely to be strongest in Tashkent and in large hotels, shopping centres and chain restaurants, and thinnest in bazaars, small cafés and guesthouses. Treat Alipay as a convenience that may work, not as your only way to pay. The Tourism Committee has said it is paying particular attention to Chinese arrivals, so coverage should widen, but check at the till before you order.
Does WeChat Pay work in Uzbekistan?
We could not confirm that it does. Uzbekistan's Central Bank said in April 2025 that talks with WeChat and Alipay about linking to domestic systems were under way, and a first stage was meant to allow foreign tourists to pay with both apps. Alipay+ has since arrived on HUMO, but we found no announcement that WeChat Pay payments are live for tourists as of early November 2026.
Practical advice: set up Alipay before you leave if you do not already have it, keep WeChat for messaging, and do not rely on WeChat Pay for any payment. If it launches while you are travelling, treat it as a bonus.
UnionPay cards in Uzbekistan
UnionPay has a longer history here than the mobile wallets. HUMO has accepted UnionPay cards since 2021, and Uzcard has agreed a partnership to accept cards whose numbers begin with 62 at ATMs and terminals. Many bank ATMs in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara accept UnionPay for cash withdrawals, and some larger hotels and shops accept it at the till.
Acceptance, however, depends on the bank, the terminal and your own card, and smaller shops often do not take it. A co-badged UnionPay and HUMO card, issued by an Uzbek bank for local customers, was also announced for the second half of 2026; that is for Uzbek residents and does not change what your Chinese UnionPay card can do.
Before you leave, tell your bank you are travelling, check your daily overseas ATM limit, and ask what the withdrawal fee is. Withdrawing a few larger amounts at bank ATMs is usually cheaper than many small ones. Use ATMs inside bank branches or hotels rather than isolated machines on the street.
Visa and Mastercard, and why you still need cash
Visa and Mastercard work in most hotels, modern restaurants, supermarkets and many shops in the main tourist cities. A foreign Visa or Mastercard is therefore a useful backup for Chinese travellers who hold one, including a dual-currency card.
Cash remains essential. Bazaars, small cafés, taxis outside the apps, toilets, tips and village guesthouses expect som. In November 2026 one US dollar buys roughly 12,000 som, so notes carry many zeros: a 200,000 note is worth about 17 dollars. Always keep a few 5,000 and 10,000 som notes for small purchases. Our money guide explains cards, ATMs and exchange in detail.
For a reserve, bring clean, recent US dollars and change them at banks or official counters. Do not exchange money on the street. Exchanging yuan is possible at some counters but rates are not always favourable, so US dollars remain the easiest foreign currency.
A simple payment plan for Chinese travellers
We suggest this for a typical one- or two-week trip:
- Before you go: install and test Alipay with an overseas-capable linked card; make sure your phone has data (see below); inform your bank.
- On arrival: withdraw som from a bank ATM at Tashkent airport or in the city, and change some US dollars at the airport or a bank.
- In the city: try Alipay at larger shops, hotels and restaurants, but always carry cash in case the QR is not accepted.
- In bazaars, taxis and villages: pay cash in som.
- Keep US dollars as your reserve and a Visa or Mastercard if you have one.
Data matters as much as the wallet. Your Chinese mobile service may roam at a high price or not at all, so we recommend a local SIM card or eSIM; our SIM and internet guide shows how. Maps and ride-hailing, including Yandex Go, depend on it.
Do you need to pay for tours and hotels in cash?
Not necessarily. Many hotels accept cards, and advance payments for tours are normally made by bank transfer or card before you travel, which means you carry less cash. Train tickets are bought on the official railway website or app; foreign cards usually work but can occasionally be declined, so have a backup plan or ask your tour operator to book them. Our train-booking guide explains the process.
Entrance fees to monuments are sold at kiosks, where cash in som is the most reliable option, although more places now accept cards or local QR payments. At the Registan, Shah-i-Zinda and Ichan-Kala you will pay at the ticket office in 2026, so check the current price in our entrance fee guide and keep notes handy.
Can you change yuan, and what about tipping and small purchases?
Yuan is not widely traded outside bank counters in the largest cities. For tips and small purchases, cash in som is by far the easiest: guides and drivers are usually tipped in som or US dollars, and hotel porters expect small notes. Our tipping guide gives typical amounts.
If you plan to buy ceramics, textiles or carpets, remember that the best prices and the most interesting items are in workshops and bazaars that typically accept cash. Ask in advance whether the seller can take a card or a QR payment. Keep the receipt for older items, as customs may ask for it.
What to expect city by city
Tashkent has the densest mix of modern shops, shopping centres and hotels, so it is the best place to test Alipay and your cards. Samarkand and Bukhara have international-standard hotels and tourist restaurants that accept cards, but the old-town lanes, small craft shops and family guesthouses often prefer cash. Khiva and the desert regions are the most cash-dependent, and ATMs are fewer, so withdraw before you go.
A few habits help everywhere. Ask "Alipay?" or "QR?" before you order, not when the bill arrives. Check the exchange rate or fees your card issuer charges on foreign transactions. Keep screenshots of important bookings in case your data connection drops, and do not scan QR codes handed to you by strangers; use only the code displayed at the shop's till. Many travellers also keep two payment methods in separate places, for example a card in the hotel safe and another in a wallet, so a lost phone or a blocked card does not stop the trip. Finally, remember that card terminals sometimes go offline in smaller towns, so a small cash reserve is not a sign of poor planning but of good planning.
How this may change
Uzbekistan is investing in tourist payments. Officials have also discussed Apple Pay and Google Pay, which would help visitors with international cards, and cross-border QR schemes with other countries. The speed of change means that anything written in November 2026 may be out of date in a few months. Before you travel, search the latest news for Alipay+ and UZQR, and ask your hotel what they accept.
We update our payment advice for Chinese visitors as the situation develops. If you want a trip where you carry as little cash as possible, we can prepay hotels, trains and guides in advance, leaving only small daily expenses. Tell us your dates through our trip builder at /trip-builder or on WhatsApp, and we will build the plan around your payment preferences.
