The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic (NBKR) has entered a long-term strategic partnership with blockchain security firm CertiK as Kyrgyzstan advances plans for a national digital currency, the digital som. The agreement focuses on security, supervision and regulatory infrastructure surrounding the currency.

The partnership follows Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov’s establishment of Dec. 31, 2026, as the deadline for delivering a functioning digital som pilot platform. CertiK is expected to provide technical support as the NBKR moves the project from development toward testing and eventual nationwide deployment.

Under the agreement, CertiK and the NBKR will cooperate on blockchain security, cybersecurity, formal verification and digital-asset oversight. The arrangement is intended to give 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. Its work has included technical advisory activity 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. That places Kyrgyzstan relatively far along in its central bank digital currency (CBDC) development compared with countries that remain focused mainly on research and policy frameworks.

Kyrgyzstan has said it aims 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 connecting the digital som project to the practical goal of improving cross-border money transfers. Remittances account for about 30% of Kyrgyzstan’s gross domestic product, making the cost, speed and traceability of transfers important issues 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. The stated timetable gives the project a defined sequence of milestones: pilot-platform delivery by the end of 2026, user testing in 2027 and subsequent expansion.

CertiK to Support Security and Regulatory Controls

The memorandum sets out two principal 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 partnership is designed to subject the digital som’s code and infrastructure to security testing while preparing contingency measures for potential system failures.

The supervisory component will address 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 rather than relying solely on retrospective reporting.

NBKR Management Board member Sanzhar Abdygaziev said the memorandum establishes a framework for continued cooperation and dialogue. He said 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 said security and risk management must 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.

Expanding Digital-Asset Activity Raises Stakes

The agreement comes as Kyrgyzstan’s digital-asset sector expands, 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 recorded another $1.32 billion in losses during the first half of 2026, highlighting the risks facing financial institutions and governments entering blockchain-based payments.

CertiK posted about the partnership on X on Sept. 14, 2026:

Read more ↓ — 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 increased pressure on regulators to address fraud, money laundering and cross-border tracing. Authorities opened numerous cryptocurrency-related criminal cases during 2026. Meanwhile, 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 arrives at a critical stage for Kyrgyzstan’s digital-finance strategy. As the digital som moves 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.

The NBKR’s website is available at nbkr.kg. CertiK’s website is certik.com, and the source report was published by CoinTrust. The CertiK X post is also available at https://x.com/CertiK/status/2099498479340982711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw.