As earlier reported, the Central Bank Board adopted a decision to issue licenses to three more credit unions, which was announced on 31 December. In the result, the number of credit unions reached 106.

According to regulator, the volume of deposits at the credit unions made up 145.6 billion soums and credit portfolio reached 176.1 billion soums.

The Central Bank said about 78 credit unions with the deposit volume of 81.4 billion soums and loan portfolio of 102.4 billion soums operated in Uzbekistan in the beginning of 2009.

In eleven months of 2009, the number of credit unions grew by 25 and the volume of deposits and loans by 79% and 79.1% respectively.

Central Bank said the assets of credit unions rose by 80.4% in eleven months and number of members rose by 50.2%. Aggregate assets reached 202.4 billion soums and number of members comprised 149,000 people.