Central Asian countries make strategic shift: signing orders to advance cryptocurrency regulation framework

Turkmenistan’s leader Serdar Berdimuhamedov recently signed a new decree officially recognizing the legal status of digital asset mining and trading. According to reports, the country has formally incorporated virtual assets into its civil law system and established a cryptocurrency trading licensing system led by the central bank.

This shift marks a policy adjustment in the country’s digital economy sector. Although virtual assets are still not classified as legal tender, payment tools, or securities, the legalization of mining and trading still signifies a clear change in regulatory attitude.

As a natural gas export-oriented economy, Turkmenistan’s move is seen by industry insiders as an important adjustment to its economic strategy. In the context of strict government regulation of the internet, signing this decree reflects a new recognition of the potential of the digital asset market.

For the blockchain and crypto industry, this represents a gradual opening of policy environment in Central Asia. The country’s decision may serve as a policy reference for other nations in the region, promoting the development of the digital asset ecosystem across the area.