KYIV, December 12. /Dunyo IA/. Uzbekistan has formally approved its 2026–2030 FinTech Development Strategy, placing the integration of stablecoins into the official financial system at the forefront of its digital finance agenda, according to Ukrainian information portals “Open4business” and “Fixygen”.

According to the Presidential Decree of Uzbekistan, a special legal regime allowing the use of stable tokens as a means of payment will come into force in 2026. The decree also paves the way for the launch of pilot projects aimed at testing and evaluating the practical application of these digital instruments.

The Government of Uzbekistan will also permit the issuance of tokenized shares and bonds, while stock exchanges will establish dedicated platforms for their trading. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan will serve as the primary regulator and will receive expanded supervisory powers. Within its institutional structure, the following specialized units are being established:

· a $50 million venture fund dedicated to financing FinTech start-ups;

· an innovation hub designed to support acceleration programs, investment initiatives, and grant-based development.

Starting in 2026, residents of the hub will be eligible to receive reimbursements covering 50% of their training expenses (up to $20,000) and mentorship services (up to $50,000).

The strategy sets out several key objectives: to attract $1 billion in foreign investment, expand the number of market participants to 200, support 100 start-ups, and train 5,000 qualified specialists.

Earlier, it was reported that Uzbekistan aims to significantly reduce the share of the shadow economy by 2030 and increase the proportion of cashless payments in trade and services to 75%.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a fixed value, typically pegged to fiat currencies such as the US dollar or the Uzbek soum. They are widely used to facilitate rapid and low-cost transfers between exchanges and users within the broader crypto-ecosystem, eliminating the need for conversion into traditional currency. Uzbekistan’s move to introduce a regulatory framework for stablecoins, alongside the development of tokenised financial instruments, is expected to position the country as one of Central Asia’s emerging fintech hubs.

China, meanwhile, is also exploring the possibility of permitting yuan-backed stablecoins as part of its strategy to expand the global circulation of its national currency.