Uzbekistan will reportedly roll out stablecoins as an official payment method from Jan. 1, 2026, under a new regulatory sandbox that also enables tokenized securities trading.
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Uzbekistan is moving to bring stablecoins into its formal payment system, starting with a tightly controlled developmental sandbox, according to local media.
According to a Friday by local news outlet Kun, Uzbekistan’s new stablecoin regulatory framework will come into force on Jan. 1, 2026. The new law, signed on Thursday, establishes a regulatory sandbox under the purview of the National Agency for Perspective Projects, together with the central bank.
Pilot projects are expected to be implemented to develop a stablecoin-based payment system operating on distributed ledger technology. Starting next year, Uzbekistan-based entities will be allowed to issue tokenized shares and bonds, and a separate trading platform will be created on licensed stock exchanges for these assets.
The news follows Uzbekistan’s central bank Chairman Timur Ishmetov in September that studies on digital currencies were underway. At the time, he said crypto activities “should be done under strict control, as it will have a serious impact on monetary policy.”
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CBDCs also on the table
Ishmetov also mentioned , but not in their retail form. He said that “such a currency would not be used in people’s daily lives, but mainly to speed up settlements between commercial or central banks.
Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Prospective Projects issued a directive in late March 2024 to in the country. Under the new system, crypto exchanges face a monthly fee equivalent to $20,015 — about double the previous fee.
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Central Asia not left being left behind
As much of the world develops crypto regulatory frameworks, Central Asia has also progressed. In late October, pegged 1:1 to the Kyrgyzstani som, while confirming plans to issue a central bank digital currency and explore a digital asset reserve.
Still, . According to October reports, Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency involved in money laundering schemes this year. Earlier that month, the country to digital assets, piloting a CBDC while also backing a state-linked stablecoin.
This followed the pilot project in late September. Also in September, the country in partnership with Binance, holding BNB ().
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