A law granting official legal status to the national digital currency — digital som — has been adopted in Kyrgyzstan. The president’s press service reported.
The law defines the concept of the digital som and regulates its use as a full-fledged means of payment throughout the country.
According to the amendments, the digital som is now included in the list of civil rights objects along with money, securities, and virtual assets. The Civil Code explicitly allows for transactions using the digital som in both cash and non-cash forms.
Refusal to accept the digital som will be punishable by a fine: 30 calculated rates for individuals and 130 — for legal entities, as stipulated in the Code of Offenses.
The digital som has also been included in the Budget Code: government agencies will be required to connect to the digital som platform for managing and distributing public funds. Commercial banks, payment organizations, and even sellers of goods and services will be obligated to offer customers the option to pay in digital form.
The digital som platform will be operated by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, which will oversee the issuance of the digital currency, enforcement of platform rules, and user protection.
The law is subject to official publication and will take effect on January 1, 2027.
