The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic (NBKR) has strengthened its plans to develop a national digital currency by entering a long-term strategic partnership with blockchain security firm CertiK, focusing on the security, supervision, and regulatory infrastructure surrounding the digital som.
The agreement comes shortly after Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov established Dec. 31, 2026, as the deadline for delivering a functioning digital som pilot platform. The partnership is expected to give the central bank technical support as it moves the project from development toward testing and eventual nationwide deployment.
CertiK and the NBKR will cooperate on blockchain security, cybersecurity, formal verification and digital-asset oversight, giving the central bank tools to identify and manage risks across the digital som infrastructure before and after its launch.
CertiK has previously participated in digital-asset regulatory and policy discussions in several jurisdictions, including technical advisory work involving U.S. regulators and responses to consultations conducted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Digital Som Moves Toward Real-World Testing
The digital som received legal-tender status under a constitutional law adopted in April 2025, placing Kyrgyzstan relatively far along in its central bank digital currency (CBDC) development compared with many countries that remain focused primarily on research and policy frameworks.
Kyrgyzstan has said it intends to become one of a small group of countries with a functioning national retail CBDC. The Bahamas, Jamaica and Nigeria are among the countries cited as having already launched live retail CBDC systems.
The government is also linking the digital som initiative to a practical economic objective: improving cross-border money transfers. Remittances represent about 30% of Kyrgyzstan’s gross domestic product, making the cost, speed and traceability of transfers an important issue for households receiving money from relatives working overseas.
The country plans to begin testing the digital currency with real users in 2027, followed by a phased national rollout.
CertiK to Support Security and Regulatory Controls
The memorandum establishes two primary areas of cooperation: technical development and regulatory supervision.
On the technical side, CertiK is expected to assist with blockchain and digital-asset security, formal verification, cybersecurity assessments and operational resilience. The arrangement is designed to subject the digital som’s code and infrastructure to security testing while also preparing contingency measures for potential system failures.
The supervisory component will focus on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism controls, digital-asset custody, security standards and licensing requirements. The NBKR is also considering CertiK’s supervision and compliance technology to strengthen real-time monitoring of on-chain risks instead of relying solely on retrospective reporting.
NBKR Management Board member Sanzhar Abdygaziev said the memorandum provides a framework for continued cooperation and dialogue. He indicated that CertiK’s capabilities in blockchain security, cybersecurity, AML/CFT compliance and transaction monitoring matched the central bank’s requirements for a strategic technology partner.
CertiK co-founder and Chief Executive Ronghui Gu emphasized that security and risk management need to be incorporated into digital-asset infrastructure from the design stage through ongoing operations. He said the company intended to support the secure development of Kyrgyzstan’s broader digital-asset ecosystem through the partnership.
Growing Digital-Asset Activity Raises Stakes
The partnership comes as Kyrgyzstan’s digital-asset sector expands rapidly, increasing the need for stronger regulatory and cybersecurity infrastructure.
CertiK data cited in the report estimates that hacks, scams, and exploits caused about $3.35 billion in digital-asset losses during 2025. The sector suffered another $1.32 billion in losses during the first half of 2026, highlighting the risks facing financial institutions and governments entering blockchain-based payments.
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— CertiK (@CertiK) September 14, 2026
For Kyrgyzstan, stronger security and real-time oversight could help protect the credibility of the digital som while giving regulators greater visibility into transactions, custody arrangements and potential financial crime risks.
The country’s digital-asset market has expanded alongside its CBDC plans. Kyrgyzstan has issued two stablecoins, including a gold-backed token and a som-pegged digital currency. Government figures indicate that licensed crypto companies processed roughly $30 billion in transactions in 2025, compared with about $60 million in 2022.
That growth has also increased pressure on regulators to address fraud, money laundering and cross-border tracing. Authorities have opened numerous cryptocurrency-related criminal cases during 2026, while the country’s first state-backed crypto exchange, established by the Finance Ministry in late 2024, entered voluntary liquidation after regulatory and tax compliance issues.
Kyrgyz financial institutions and digital-asset platforms have also faced external scrutiny, including sanctions-related concerns involving alleged links to efforts to circumvent restrictions on Russia.
The CertiK partnership therefore arrives at a critical stage for Kyrgyzstan’s digital-finance strategy. With the digital som moving toward pilot deployment, the central bank is seeking to combine blockchain infrastructure with stronger security, compliance, and supervisory capabilities before the currency reaches broader public use.
