Uganda Launches $5.5B Tokenized Economy Initiative with CBDC Pilot

Uganda is pioneering a $5.5 billion tokenized economy project in collaboration with Global Settlement Network (GSN) and local conglomerate Diacente Group. The initiative digitizes real-world infrastructure assets—including agro-processing hubs, mining operations, and solar plants—within the Karamoja Green Industrial and Special Economic Zone (GISEZ).

A national central bank digital currency (CBDC), deployed on GSN's permissioned blockchain, will serve as the transactional backbone. The project aligns with Uganda's development goals, aiming to create 1 million jobs and generate $10 billion in annual exports.

This marks Africa's most ambitious blockchain-based economic overhaul to date, blending physical infrastructure with digital asset innovation. No direct cryptocurrency involvement is specified, though the model could set precedents for asset tokenization across emerging markets.