A new category of secured financing has appeared on Uzbekistan’s digital banking map. TBC Uzbekistan has launched loans of up to 12 billion soums, about $1 million, for small and medium-sized businesses, with investment maturities of up to 120 months and a grace period of up to 12 months. The offer is delivered inside the bank’s TBC Business platform and is aimed at companies that need to buy equipment, commercial property or other long-lived assets.
The terms are notable because the financing of vehicles and machinery has traditionally been the most demanding part of lending in emerging markets. Assets are expensive, their useful life runs for years, and the buyer needs a repayment schedule that reflects the time it takes for the purchase to pay for itself.
Matching loan duration to the life of an asset
A principle sits at the heart of asset finance: the debt should last about as long as the asset earns money. A delivery van, a production line or a retail unit may serve a business for a decade, so a three-year credit forces repayments that are heavier than the asset can comfortably support. The bank’s investment loans, available for up to 120 months, address that mismatch directly. Working capital loans, offered for up to 36 months, handle the shorter cycle of stock and supplier payments.
The grace period adds flexibility. A company that purchases a vehicle fleet or installs new machinery rarely sees revenue on the first day. With up to a year before repayments begin, the owner has time to put the asset to work. The bank says collateral requirements are flexible, an important point for firms that cannot offer traditional real estate security.
The consumer side of asset borrowing
Business buyers are not the only group watching how asset-backed credit evolves. Households in Uzbekistan are also becoming more informed about car ownership, helped by a wider choice of brands and models. Interest in phrases such as “автокредит byd” and “byd avtokredit” reflects a broader shift in the market, in which buyers research a specific model and its financing conditions online before they ever visit a showroom. Lenders such as TBC Bank Uzbekistan operate in a market where this research habit is now routine, which raises the importance of clear terms, transparent monthly payments and a fast digital application.
The connection with the new business product is straightforward. Both consumer and corporate borrowers want the same things from an asset loan: predictable payments, a realistic term and a process that respects their time. What differs is scale, collateral and the documentation the lender needs to see.
Why digital delivery matters for larger loans
For many years, big-ticket loans were considered too complex for mobile channels. Valuation, legal checks and signatures pulled customers into branches. TBC Uzbekistan argues that this assumption is changing. Its chief executive, Nika Kurdiani, explained that the new product was designed to give businesses access to larger-scale financing while keeping the simple, fully digital customer journey that defines the bank’s products.
The statement matters because digital delivery changes the economics of serving mid-sized clients. A branch-based process requires staff time at every stage. A platform that already holds a client’s payment history, payroll flows and sales data can pre-screen applications and reduce manual checks. More than 30,000 enterprises have registered on TBC Business since its launch in December 2024, which gives the lender a large base from which to identify suitable candidates.
Ecosystem tools that support asset buyers
The business platform has expanded beyond accounts. A digital payroll service allows employers to pay staff at any time, including weekends and holidays. QR-code payments let merchants accept funds without extra hardware. In June 2025, the bank acquired a majority stake in BILLZ, a retail management software provider whose tools help shops track sales and stock.
These services matter to asset finance because they create evidence. A trader who buys a delivery vehicle on credit can show how many orders pass through the system and how revenue has grown month by month. A bank that sees these figures can set limits with more confidence, and a borrower with a documented history can negotiate better conditions over time.
The bank also supports entrepreneurs through an educational programme developed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which provides free practical training in business and management. Skills in planning cash flows and pricing are important for any company taking on long-term debt, and they help to protect the lender as well.
Outlook for asset-backed lending in Uzbekistan
Another factor is data quality. Vehicle and equipment prices move with exchange rates, import duties and supply conditions, so lenders need up-to-date valuation inputs to avoid lending against assets that quickly lose value. Digital platforms can help by linking to registries and price sources, but the process requires constant maintenance.
The next stage will test whether digital lenders can combine speed with prudent risk management. Secured lending demands accurate collateral valuation, reliable registration of pledges and monitoring of assets, and these steps are not always easy to automate. Success will depend on a careful blend of technology and human judgement.
There is, however, a clear market opportunity. Uzbekistan’s economy is expanding its transport, trade and manufacturing capacity, and each of those areas relies on vehicles and equipment. Financing that is simple to request and sensibly structured can speed up fleet renewal, modernise workshops and bring newer technology into small companies.
For borrowers, the practical lessons are simple. Compare the total cost of credit, not only the monthly amount. Match the term to the asset’s useful life. Use any grace period to build revenue rather than to postpone planning. For lenders, the lesson is equally clear: the customer who finds a loan online expects the same clarity at every size, from a first small facility to a seven-figure investment line.
Financial education will play a part as well. A buyer who understands the difference between a nominal rate and the full cost of credit, or who knows how a grace period affects total interest, is better equipped to choose a sensible product. Banks that explain these points clearly tend to build longer relationships, and that trust is hard for a competitor to copy quickly.
Smaller companies stand to gain the most. A family-run logistics firm with three vehicles currently has to plan expansion around short loan terms, and a longer horizon would let it add a fourth vehicle without strangling cash flow. Multiply that example across thousands of firms and the macroeconomic benefit becomes plain.
If the early momentum continues, asset finance may become one of the most visible battlegrounds in the country’s banking sector over the next few years, with the winners defined less by advertising than by the quality of their digital journey.