Digital banking in Uzbekistan: the risks to customer satisfaction

Abstract

This article examines how the rapid expansion of digital banking in Uzbekistan creates new risks for customer satisfaction. The study uses a qualitative-descriptive design based on a structured literature review and secondary-data analysis. Academic studies published between 2020 and 2025 were combined with official sources from the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the World Bank, the Statistical Agency, and UNDP. The proof shows that Uzbekistan’s digital financial ecosystem has grown quickly. Internet use has gone up a lot, payment companies have grown, digital identification has made it easier to access services from afar, and the number of transactions through payment companies grew a lot in 2024. But the same speed-up also raises the risks of customer dissatisfaction related to cybersecurity, fraud, service outages, poor complaint handling, privacy issues, and gaps in digital literacy. The review also shows that convenience alone is not enough to keep people happy. Trust, system reliability, user-friendly design, and responsive support are still very important. The article says that banks in Uzbekistan should make risk management and customer experience management two of their top priorities. Putting money into anti-fraud systems, safe onboarding, service recovery, customer education, and design that works for everyone will probably make people happier and encourage them to use digital banking services for a long time.