From Trading to Spending: In Uzbekistan Crypto Now Works Across Food, Travel, and Retail
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asterium is expanding crypto beyond trading into real-world usage in Uzbekistan, enabling payments with digital assets across cafes, airlines, and retail platforms through a growing network of local merchants.
The rollout positions Asterium among the first fintech players to deliver practical, everyday crypto payments in Central Asia — turning digital assets into a usable payment method rather than a speculative instrument.
Through integration with Rahmat, which is the biggets digital payment platform in Uzbekistan that helps businesses accept and manage payments, Asterium users can already pay for food and dining experiences in local cafes and restaurants using crypto assets.
The company has also enabled travel payments via merchants connected to Octobank, including airline ticket purchases with Centrum Air and Qanot Sharq.
The company is preparing to scale further into mass-market retail and e-commerce. Upcoming integrations include big CIS retailers and one of Uzbekistan’s largest supermarket chains.
“The next phase of crypto — its utility” said Nadejda Cotsaga, CCO of Asterium. “We are making crypto assets usable in everyday life, from food and travel to retail, unlocking real economic activity beyond trading.”
Asterium provides a full-stack infrastructure layer for merchants, enabling them to accept crypto payments without exposure to volatility, while handling settlement, compliance, and integration on the backend.
The launch comes as Uzbekistan continues to position itself as one of the most progressive regulated crypto markets in the region, creating a favorable environment for real-world blockchain applications.
The Uzbekistan expansion is part of Asterium’s broader global strategy, focused on building a full-stack crypto-financial ecosystem spanning payments, custody, tokenization, and banking services.
About Asterium
Asterium is a licensed digital asset infrastructure platform based in Uzbekistan, operating under the framework of the National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP). The company builds end-to-end infrastructure bridging traditional finance and blockchain, including wallet, fiat rails, exchange, and real-world asset tokenization solutions.
Asterium is a core contributor to the national blockchain ecosystem, including Mirasmanda, enabling regulated issuance of asset-backed tokens such as Humo Token and AUZ. The platform focuses on integrating digital assets into payments, savings, and cross-border use cases for both local and global users.
For more information, visit: https://asterium.uz/
Media Contact
pr@asterium.uz
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