Kyrgyzstan's Parliament has approved a draft law outlining the framework for the digital som, the country's future central bank digital currency. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan will oversee the issuance and operation of the digital som, with plans to launch prototype testing in early 2025 and a decision on full implementation expected by the end of 2026. The digital som will be legal tender and issued exclusively by the central bank through a specialized platform. It will support both online and offline transactions, storing offline transactions locally on devices and synchronizing them with the platform once internet access is restored. The implementation of offline functionality remains a challenge. The draft law does not explicitly mention blockchain technology but incorporates smart contracts and emphasizes centralized management under the National Bank. The digital som is expected to be fully integrated into Kyrgyzstan's financial ecosystem by January 2027.



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