SQB recognised as a Leading Partner Bank in Uzbekistan
At the Asian Development Bank’s Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) Awards in Singapore, Trade Treasury Payments spoke with Akbarkhon Ibrokhimov, Director of Financial Institutions and Investor Relations at Uzbek Industrial and Construction Bank (SQB), recognised as a Leading Partner Bank in Uzbekistan.
Ibrokhimov discussed SQB’s growing regional role in mobilising international trade finance and strengthening access to capital for key sectors including agribusiness, textiles, commodities, and construction materials. Over the past year, SQB has attracted more than USD 700 million in trade finance, including USD 200 million under ADB’s guarantee programme, while expanding into factoring and local currency lending to better serve SMEs.
He described the award as a validation of SQB’s commitment to risk management, diversification, and partnership building across Asia and the Middle East, positioning the bank at the forefront of Uzbekistan’s trade and investment ambitions.
Key Topics
- Mobilising MDB-backed trade finance in frontier markets
- Expanding SME access to finance in Uzbekistan
- Factoring and local-currency lending innovation
- Strengthening risk management and compliance standards
- Building regional partnerships across Asia and the Middle East
Expert Analysis
“This is a very prestigious validation from an organisation such as ADB. It shows other banks globally that we are compliant with risk management and financial covenants. It helps us diversify our portfolio and has significantly increased our partner base, especially in Asia and the Middle East.”— Akbarkhon Ibrokhimov
Key Findings
- SQB mobilised more than USD 700 million in trade finance, including USD 200 million under ADB’s guarantee programme.
- The bank is expanding its offer to include factoring and local-currency lending for SMEs.
- Recognition from ADB validates SQB’s compliance and strengthens confidence among partner banks.
- The partnership network across Asia and the Middle East supports Uzbekistan’s trade-finance ambitions.
Implications
- Multilateral partnerships enable frontier-market banks to mobilise larger volumes of trade finance safely.
- Expanding local-currency solutions improves SME access and reduces exchange-rate risk.
- International recognition builds trust and strengthens global correspondent-bank relationships.
- Strengthening trade-finance infrastructure supports Uzbekistan’s broader economic and investment goals.
