The Digital RMB International Operations Center has officially presented its latest technological advancements in cross-border financial infrastructure at the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning. The exhibition, held from September 17 to 21, 2026, highlights the growing integration of the digital yuan (e-CNY) within the regional trade ecosystem, focusing on the CBETS cross-border settlement platform and the multilateral central bank digital currency bridge, known as mBridge. These developments signal a strategic shift toward high-efficiency, blockchain-based international payment rails designed to facilitate seamless trade between China and the ASEAN member states.
Advanced Governance and Technical Framework
The showcase provided detailed insights into the functional governance and application scenarios of the Multiple CBDC Bridge (mBridge), a project involving the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and several central banks. The platform leverages distributed ledger technology (DLT) to enable real-time, 24/7 cross-border transactions, reducing reliance on traditional intermediary banking networks. Key technological capabilities demonstrated at the site include:
- Cryptography and Blockchain: Ensuring data integrity and transaction security across jurisdictional boundaries.
- Smart Contracts: Implementing automated solutions for prepaid fund management and complex supply chain finance.
- Distributed Active-Recovery: Enhancing system resilience and disaster recovery capabilities for critical financial infrastructure.
- Artificial Intelligence: Optimizing settlement processes and compliance monitoring within the digital ecosystem.
Expansion of the Cross-border Digital Ecosystem
A collaborative ecosystem comprising twelve major institutions has been established to drive the adoption of the digital yuan in international trade. Notable participants include ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), Bank of China (BOC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Huawei, and Ant Group. This network covers a broad spectrum of services, from e-commerce payments to electricity trade settlements. The CBETS platform has already achieved significant milestones, including barcode payment interoperability with Laos' LAPNet and the advancement of pilot payment projects with Singapore.
"The mBridge project represents a new type of multicurrency international infrastructure, allowing for direct transactions in local digital currencies and significantly improving settlement efficiency", noted industry experts during the forum.
Recent data indicates that by the end of 2025, the mBridge platform had already processed transactions totaling approximately 500 billion yuan ($74.4 billion), with e-CNY accounting for over 95% of the settlement volume. The current transition at the 2026 Expo underscores the move from experimental pilots to scaled operations within the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 framework.
The integration of Digital RMB infrastructure at the China-ASEAN Expo reflects the accelerating pace of regional financial digitalization. By providing a low-cost, high-speed alternative to traditional remittance systems, these platforms are positioned to play a vital role in the internationalization of the renminbi and the deepening of economic ties across Southeast Asia. As more financial institutions sign on as direct participants, the digital yuan ecosystem is expected to expand into new areas such as investment financing and automated digital asset management.
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