This article explores the necessity of introducing an Islamic finance system in Uzbekistan, as well as analyzing the current legal frameworks and institutional environment. Islamic finance operates in accordance with Sharia principles, which prohibit interest (riba), gambling (maisir), and excessive uncertainty (gharar). Although Islamic finance is a relatively new concept in Uzbekistan, the demand for fair, ethical, and Sharia-compliant financial services is steadily increasing, particularly among the predominantly Muslim population. The article examines the core principles of Islamic finance and highlights financial instruments such as sukuk, mudarabah, and musharakah. It also discusses the legal mechanisms required to implement them effectively. The existing gaps in national legislation, the insufficient development of regulatory bodies, and international best practices are assessed in the context of Uzbekistan. Finally, the article proposes conceptual recommendations to support the establishment and sustainable growth of an Islamic financial system in the country.

This article examines the drivers of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Uzbekistan’s commercial banks by combining macroeconomic determinants with bank-specific factors and assesses the effectiveness of early warning systems (EWS) in mitigating the procyclicality of asset-quality deterioration. The empirical narrative relies on official Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan indicators for NPLs and loan portfolios, complemented by recent empirical studies on NPL determinants in transforming banking systems. Particular attention is paid to ownership-related heterogeneity (state-owned vs. other banks), comparability issues between regulatory NPL metrics and IFRS 9-based measures, and the role of loan restructuring practices. The paper derives policy-oriented recommendations aimed at improving disclosure of asset quality, integrating IFRS 9 indicators into supervisory monitoring, and standardizing EWS triggers for timely detection of borrower credit deterioration.

In recent years, the intensification of global financial instability has posed significant challenges to banking markets. In response, commercial banks have placed particular emphasis on enhancing their resilience to economic fluctuations. According to expert forecasts, activity in the global banking sector is expected to increase substantially in 2025–2026. Notably, inflation in the Eurozone in 2024 is projected to be around 2.3% instead of the previously forecast 2.7%. Financial stability, however, remains tied to moderate growth prospects. Various models typically chosen or approved by regulators are used to assess banks’ stability. Contemporary research focuses on improving existing methodologies and financial stability indicators in light of changes in the global macroeconomic environment, raising capital adequacy requirements for banks, and enhancing tools for forecasting their future performance. At the same time, the adoption of new technologies and financial instruments is accelerating banks’ digital transformation and the automation of their business processes. This article offers a comprehensive study of the means and mechanisms for ensuring the financial stability of commercial banks in Uzbekistan. Its primary objective is to analyze the state of the banking sector and identify ways to strengthen its resilience, drawing on global best practices and national specificities. To achieve this, both scientific-pedagogical methods (historical-comparative analysis, structural-logical research) and empirical approaches (statistics from regulatory documents and bank reports, expert surveys) are employed.