Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP) has registered OTP Bank Plc, one of Hungary’s largest banks and a regional custodian bank, as a participant in the special legal regime "Regulatory Sandbox" for Uzbekistan’s capital markets.

OTP Group, which includes OTP Bank, operates in 11 countries across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, serving over 17 million customers. OTP Global Markets, a part of the group, offers a wide range of services in local and international money and capital markets.

The company assists private, corporate, and institutional clients in achieving their goals by offering competitive terms, a highly skilled workforce, and innovative, tailored services. OTP Group is also one of the leading regional custodian banks in six countries, including Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

As per the Regulation on the procedure for providing the "Regulatory Sandbox" special legal regime in the capital market, OTP Bank is authorized to open and manage securities accounts (depository accounts) as a foreign nominee holder at the Central Securities Depository and the depository of the Republican Currency Exchange of Uzbekistan. Additionally, it is permitted to hold cash accounts in both local and foreign currencies at the Central Bank of Uzbekistan without requiring additional licensing.

OTP Bank’s inclusion in this regime marks a significant step in connecting the bank with Uzbekistan’s securities market. It became the second international financial institution to receive such authorization from NAPP. This achievement further strengthens OTP Bank’s commitment to the Uzbek market following its acquisition of a controlling stake in "Ipoteka Bank" in 2023.

NAPP believes OTP Bank’s participation in the "Regulatory Sandbox" will help attract significant portfolio investments to Uzbekistan’s capital markets, acting as a bridge for global custodians, international depositories, foreign investors, and investment intermediaries.