China’s First Offshore Yuan Stablecoin Launches Amid Global Push for Digital Currencies
The global contest to put national currencies on blockchain rails gained new momentum this week with the launch of the first regulated stablecoin tied to the offshore Chinese yuan (CNH).
Fintech firm AnchorX unveiled its AxCNH token on Wednesday during the Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong. The stablecoin is pegged to the CNH, the international version of the yuan used in foreign exchange markets, and is designed to facilitate cross-border payments across China’s Belt and Road trading partners.
The move highlights Beijing’s growing interest in using digital assets to extend its financial influence abroad, even as domestic crypto activity remains tightly controlled.
On Thursday, South Korea entered the race as well. BDACS, a local digital asset infrastructure provider, announced the debut of KRW1, a stablecoin fully backed by won reserves held at Woori Bank. The project emphasizes real-time banking integration, enabling transparent proof-of-reserves and positioning KRW1 for use in payments, remittances, and potential public-sector applications.
Both AxCNH and KRW1 are overcollateralized, meaning each token is backed 1:1 with fiat deposits or government securities, reducing the risk of instability that has plagued some algorithmic stablecoins.
A Geopolitical Race
Stablecoins have quickly become more than just a crypto innovation. Governments now view them as strategic tools to expand the reach of their currencies, particularly in an era of rising inflation and surging public debt.
By putting national currencies on blockchains—networks that settle transactions in minutes across borders and operate around the clock—countries hope to boost global demand for their fiat, mitigating some of the pressures caused by money printing.
The stakes are high. The U.S. national debt recently topped $37 trillion, and issuers like Tether and Circle have become major buyers of U.S. Treasuries, effectively linking the growth of stablecoins to sovereign debt markets. Tether, for example, now ranks among the world’s largest holders of U.S. Treasury bills, larger than some developed economies.
Analysts argue this dynamic allows ordinary users worldwide to indirectly purchase government debt by holding stablecoins, easing debt burdens for states while widening access to global finance.
China’s new CNH stablecoin underscores the strategic shift. By offering yuan-backed liquidity to Belt and Road partners, Beijing is positioning its currency as an alternative to the U.S. dollar in international trade and settlement.
