UZCARD and PLATMA continue to strengthen their cooperation, supporting fintech innovation and the development of Uzbekistan’s digital financial ecosystem. PLATMA is among the companies backed by UC Ventures, a venture capital fund within the UZCARD ecosystem. Alongside UZCARD, PLATMA’s investor network includes Aloqa Ventures, EA Group and more than 16 institutional funds. This broad base of backers reflects growing confidence in the company’s products and in the market it serves.
As part of this collaboration, PLATMA, together with UZCARD, EUROUZ and ASEE Group, organised the Banks of the Future Conference. The event took place on November 13 in a hybrid format in Tashkent. It brought together government representatives and financial industry leaders to discuss Uzbekistan’s ambition to become Central Asia’s fintech hub.
The timing is significant. According to the Asian Development Bank, Central Asia’s fintech market is evolving rapidly, driven by the expansion of digital payments and rising demand for accessible, efficient financial services. Realising the region’s full potential, however, will require three things: investment in digital infrastructure, greater interoperability between payment systems, and stronger cross-border regulatory cooperation.
The conference was driven by Jean Kluschke, Strategic Business Development Lead at PLATMA. In this role, he is responsible for building partnerships between the company, banks, investors and technology providers, and for shaping PLATMA’s growth strategy in Uzbekistan and the wider region. His work links the company’s product development with the needs of financial institutions and the capital that can help scale new solutions. The Banks of the Future Conference grew out of this approach: bringing regulators, banks, investors and startups into one room to move from discussion to concrete cooperation.
Kluschke argues that venture capital is a core driver of change in banking. “Venture capital is essential to the banking transformation, helping fintech startups scale innovative solutions and strengthening Uzbekistan’s position as a regional digital finance hub,” he said. “That is why events like the Banks of the Future Conference are instrumental in supporting the sustainable growth of the fintech ecosystem.”
His view is consistent with PLATMA’s own path. The company has grown with the support of venture investors and works closely with established market players such as UZCARD. For Kluschke, this model shows how startups and traditional financial institutions can complement each other: banks bring scale, infrastructure and customer trust, while startups bring speed and new technology.
The programme was practical as well as strategic. It included live technology demonstrations, where participants could see fintech and digital finance solutions in action. It also featured a Startup Hackathon Showcase, which presented emerging products from young teams and gave them direct access to bank representatives and investors.
Taken together, the conference and the partnership between UZCARD and PLATMA show how Uzbekistan’s market is building the conditions for sustainable fintech growth: investment, collaboration between banks and startups, and a regular platform for dialogue.
