Wildberries Expands Its Business in Central Asia

Russia’s largest e-commerce provider, Wildberries, is pushing ahead with its expansion in Central Asia, with a particular focus on the Uzbek market. As growth in the Russian online retail sector continues to slow, the company is shifting its focus to new growth markets in the region.

In 2019, Wildberries became Russia’s largest retailer, surpassing traditional retail chains. As a result, founder Tatiana Kim (née Bakalchuk) rose to become the country’s richest woman.

However, the Russian e-commerce market is now entering a phase of maturity. According to analysts’ estimates, Wildberries and Ozon will together control approximately 77% of the Russian online retail market by the end of 2026. Growth is slowing significantly as the market becomes increasingly saturated.

Wildberries is expected to reach a market share of 45% by the end of the year, while Ozon is projected to reach around 32%. The combined market share of both platforms is projected to grow by five percentage points in 2026—significantly less than the eleven percentage points of growth in 2025, reported the Russian business newspaper Kommersant, citing an analysis by the consulting firm Euler.

Uzbekistan as a Growth Market

“Wildberries launched in Uzbekistan in 2022. Since then, we have continuously expanded our business and invested in various areas. This includes the construction of one of the largest logistics centers in the region, with an investment of approximately 200 million U.S. dollars and a capacity of about 7,500 items,” said Akmal Primkulov, country manager of Wildberries Uzbekistan, in an exclusive interview with IntelliNews on the sidelines of the Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF).

The Uzbek e-commerce market is currently in a similar stage of development to that of Russia about ten years ago. Thanks to 7.7% economic growth last year, incomes are rising, while at the same time a middle class with strong purchasing power is emerging.

Traditionally, many Uzbeks did their shopping at local bazaars. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the near-universal adoption of smartphones have led to a significant shift in consumer behavior and greatly accelerated the growth of online retail.

“E-commerce penetration in Uzbekistan currently stands at about 5.5%, compared to around 14% in Kazakhstan and more than 18% in Russia. The growth potential is therefore enormous. “In a sense, we’re helping people discover the benefits of online shopping and save time,” Primkulov explained.

According to the manager, the Uzbek e-commerce market is growing by about 40% annually. The market volume was most recently around 1.8 billion U.S. dollars and could exceed the 2.5 billion U.S. dollar mark as early as this year.

Logistics and Fintech as the Next Steps

To support this growth, Wildberries is investing heavily in logistics and warehouse capacity. The company currently operates a total of 5.6 million square meters of warehouse space and is expanding its infrastructure in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.

While warehouse space in Uzbekistan has so far been primarily leased, Wildberries plans to build its own warehouses in Kazakhstan later this year and in Uzbekistan starting in 2027, following the completion of its first in-house logistics center in Belarus.

Fast delivery remains a key competitive advantage. Despite the country’s size, Wildberries says it can deliver orders almost nationwide within one to two days.

“Even people in smaller cities can now access the same selection as customers in Tashkent. Thanks to nearly universal smartphone coverage and more than 140 pickup stations, we already have a dense distribution network throughout the country,” said Primkulov.

For the coming years, Wildberries sees further potential beyond traditional online retail. This includes, in particular, financial services and fintech offerings.

“The next logical step is financial and banking services, as well as other digital services. This is a natural development for a maturing e-commerce market,” explained Primkulov.

Uzbekistan’s demographic trends are particularly attractive in this regard. With an average age of just 28, rising incomes, and the economic reforms of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country has excellent conditions for further growth.

“By international standards, Uzbekistan is currently one of the most attractive e-commerce markets of all,” said Primkulov.