Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — As of 1 January 2025, Uzbekistan recorded 283,600 active individual entrepreneurs (IEs), reflecting a 17.91% increase compared to the previous year, according to the press service of the Tax Committee.

Nearly 83% of entrepreneurs opted for fixed-rate income tax, 16.2% chose turnover tax, and 0.9% are registered as VAT payers. The registration rate of new IEs surged by over 50%, rising from 97,000 in 2023 to 148,700 in 2024.

The retail trade sector accounts for the largest share of individual entrepreneurs, encompassing approximately half of all IEs. In 2024, the number of entrepreneurs in this sector grew by 14.2%, reaching 134,900.

Craftsmanship saw a 6.2% increase (23,600 units), the household services sector grew by 39% (29,400 units), and other industries experienced a 21% rise (95,800 units).

Tashkent remains the leading region for active IEs, with 38,700 registered (+13.8%). Samarkand region follows with 30,400 IEs (+11%), then Tashkent region (26,750, +12.6%), Andijan region (26,470, +52.1%), and Fergana region (27,300, +16.1%).

The number of women registering as individual entrepreneurs increased by nearly 18,000, reaching 121,300. However, their share among all entrepreneurs slightly declined from 43% to 42.7%. Meanwhile, the number of men involved in individual entrepreneurship rose by 18.6%, exceeding 162,000.