Marshall Islands Launches World’s First On-Chain UBI Using Sovereign Bond on Stellar Blockchain
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has made history by executing the first on-chain universal basic income (UBI) payout using a digitally native, U.S. dollar-backed sovereign bond, USDM1, on the stellar blockchain. This initiative replaces physical cash deliveries with instantaneous digital payments for residents, many of whom live on remote islands.
The project, locally named ENRA, was developed in collaboration with the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) and infrastructure supplier Crossmint. It aims to reduce the high costs and logistical challenges of distributing cash across the nation's far-flung atolls while enhancing transparency and reliability.
The Marshall Islands, a sovereign republic operating under the Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States, reaffirmed its agreement in 2024, securing its economic framework until 2043. The Finance Ministry highlighted this as a multimillion-dollar milestone in state-backed blockchain adoption.