President Sadyr Japarov Signs Constitutional Law Amending National Bank Legislation
President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan has signed a constitutional law on Thursday amending the existing law on the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, which was approved by the parliament on March 20, 2025. The primary aim of this constitutional law is to initiate a pilot project for a prototype of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), known as the “digital som,” and to establish its legal framework and status. The law grants the National Bank exclusive rights to issue the digital som, regulate its circulation, and manage the operational platform for the currency. Key provisions include defining the digital som as the national currency in digital form, establishing it as a legal payment method within Kyrgyzstan, and outlining the responsibilities of the National Bank in developing payment rules and ensuring the security of the digital currency against fraudulent activities.