This article examines the institutional relationship between corruption and the shadow economy in Uzbekistan, as well as their impact on market competition, the investment climate, the quality of public administration, and macroeconomic stability. The purpose of the study is to identify the mechanisms through which corrupt practices contribute to the expansion of the shadow economy and to develop scientifically grounded proposals for improving institutional anti-corruption policy. The study employs systemic, comparative, economic-statistical, legal-institutional analysis, and logical generalization methods. The empirical basis of the research includes international rankings for 2017–2025, statistical data on corruption-related crimes for 2023–2024, regulatory legal acts, and scholarly literature. The findings indicate that corruption is not merely a legal offence, but a systemic institutional factor affecting resource allocation, the efficiency of public expenditures, tax discipline, and the scale of the shadow economy. The article develops practical recommendations for the institutional improvement of compliance control mechanisms, digital monitoring, transparency in public procurement, asset recovery, and the preliminary assessment of corruption risks.