The number of foreign-invested companies in Uzbekistan continues to rise steadily, with over 1,800 new firms established since the beginning of 2025, according to data released by the National Statistics Committee.
As of July 1, the total number of companies with foreign founders operating in the country reached 16,685, reflecting a 12.2% increase—or 1,814 new companies—in just six months.
Out of the total, 4,124 are joint ventures with local partners, showing a modest 4% growth. The majority—12,561 companies—are wholly foreign-owned, marking a 15.2% increase since January. These figures highlight Uzbekistan’s growing appeal as a destination for international investors.
China continues to dominate foreign investment activity in Uzbekistan, with 4,192 companies—roughly a quarter of all foreign-invested firms. This figure is up by 124 compared to May and 835 since the start of the year. Russia ranks second, with 3,098 companies, showing a monthly increase of 12 and a total increase of 161 since January. It also leads in terms of joint ventures, with 905 such enterprises, compared to China’s 647.
Turkey holds third place with 2,007 companies, up by 10 in June and 181 since the beginning of the year. Kazakhstan follows with 1,157 companies, an increase of 21 in June, while South Korea rounds out the top five with 687 firms, 13 more than the previous month. Notably, Afghanistan saw a decline for the first time in recent months, with its total dropping by two to 680 companies.
Other countries in the top 10 include the United Arab Emirates with 374 companies (up by 4), Tajikistan with 357 (up by 10), India with 333 (up by 7), and Kyrgyzstan with 327. The United States dropped out of the top 10, with 321 companies as of July 1, increasing by only one in June.
Foreign-invested firms are primarily concentrated in the trade sector, which accounts for 6,038 companies or 36% of the total. Industry follows with 3,450 companies, including 1,390 joint ventures. Other significant sectors attracting foreign investment include construction, with 1,256 companies, and IT and communications, with 1,210 companies.
Tashkent remains the leading hub for foreign business operations in Uzbekistan, hosting nearly two-thirds of all such companies. The capital is home to 2,280 joint ventures, or 55% of the total joint ventures across the country. Other regions with notable foreign investment activity include the Tashkent region with 2,000 companies, Samarkand with 621, Surkhandarya with 554, and Fergana with 547.
As of May 1, 2025, the number of enterprises with foreign capital in Uzbekistan had exceeded 16,000, reaching a total of 16,007. Over the previous five years, the number of foreign-invested companies had grown by 1.3 times, while the share of fully foreign-owned enterprises had increased from 53.2% to 74.7%.
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