The completion of Phase 2a on June 30, 2024, involved close collaboration with Ripple, utilizing its Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and blockchain platform. This phase explored the feasibility of integrating a tokenized USD into Palau’s financial system, drawing inspiration from successful digital payment models like PayPal and Alipay, but with tailored features to meet Palau’s unique socio-economic needs.
The report highlights significant progress in establishing a regulatory and technological framework to support the stablecoin system. Key accomplishments include the near-completion of the Payment Service Bill, which will create a legal foundation for the payment service, covering aspects such as licensing, dispute resolution, and anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations.
The technical assessment confirmed the viability of the stablecoin system, with planned upgrades to internet connectivity and device compatibility across Palau’s islands. These improvements are crucial to ensuring that all Palauans can access the new digital payment service, promoting greater financial inclusion.
As the project progresses into Phase 2b, the focus will shift to further developing the ecosystem, including integrating comprehensive financial, legal, and business frameworks. This phase will also address scalability and security, ensuring the system's resilience.
The Ministry of Finance remains committed to the continuous improvement and expansion of this payment system, aiming for full-scale national deployment.