Soramitsu and Central Bank of Solomon Islands Partner for CBDC

TL;DR:
Bokolo Cash is a mobile CBDC pilot by the Central Bank of Solomon Islands and SORAMITSU, enabling instant QR code payments.
Built on Hyperledger Iroha, the same technology behind SORA, it showcases how blockchain can drive financial inclusion across underbanked Pacific regions.

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Modernizing Payments Across the Pacific

Few financial initiatives in the Pacific are as ambitious as Bokolo Cash—a digital currency pilot launched by the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) and Japan’s fintech pioneer SORAMITSU.

The program represents a major leap forward for Pacific economies: bridging traditional banking and next-generation digital money that operates directly from mobile devices.

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Key Takeaways

• Bokolo Cash is a CBDC pilot offering faster, safer, and more accessible payments.
• Payments use QR codes, with instant confirmation and digital receipts.
• CBSI maintains strict oversight to ensure compliance and transparency.
• Built on Hyperledger Iroha, it exemplifies how blockchain can expand financial inclusion in regions with limited banking access.

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A Partnership for the Future

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands selected SORAMITSU for its proven expertise in building national digital currencies, including Bakong, Cambodia’s award-winning CBDC. Bokolo Cash builds on that foundation—customized for the Pacific, where mobile adoption exceeds banking access.

The pilot explores how a central-bank-issued digital currency can complement the Solomon Islands dollar, reduce dependency on cash, and enable direct person-to-person and merchant payments.

Learn more about Cambodia’s CBDC at the official Bakong site.

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What Is Bokolo Cash?

Bokolo Cash is a mobile wallet system that enables Solomon Islanders to send and receive digital money instantly. Transactions are denominated in Solomon Islands dollars but recorded on a blockchain infrastructure designed by SORAMITSU.

Users simply open the app, scan a QR code, enter the amount, and confirm payment. Within seconds, both payer and merchant receive a digital receipt—streamlining commerce across the islands.

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The Technology: Hyperledger Iroha

At the core of Bokolo Cash is Hyperledger Iroha, the same enterprise blockchain that powers the SORA ecosystem. Designed for reliability and simplicity, it offers several benefits ideal for a national CBDC rollout.

Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT)

Iroha’s BFT consensus ensures continuous operation even if some network nodes fail or act maliciously, maintaining resilience critical for financial systems.

Enterprise-Grade Features

• Granular permissions: Central banks can manage access and transaction limits.
• Native asset management: Efficient handling of digital tokens and currency units.
• Scalability: Built to support thousands of concurrent users across 900+ islands.
• Auditability: Full transaction history for transparency and compliance.

Connection to SORA

Bokolo Cash and SORA share a common technical foundation in Hyperledger Iroha, underscoring SORAMITSU’s ability to build systems for both centralized CBDCs and decentralized DeFi environments.

Explore Iroha’s documentation here.

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CBDC vs Traditional Banking

This shift from physical banking to blockchain-based currency highlights how CBDCs can improve efficiency, lower costs, and expand access in remote regions.

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Security and Oversight

All Bokolo Cash transactions operate under CBSI’s supervision, ensuring compliance and integrity. The Hyperledger Iroha infrastructure provides a tamper-proof ledger and employs:

• End-to-end encryption
• Multi-factor authentication
• Transaction limits and monitoring
• Central bank custody of all issued funds

The result: a fast, secure system built for trust.

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Why It Matters

For a nation spanning over 900 islands, financial connectivity has always been a challenge. Bokolo Cash closes that gap, enabling secure payments even in remote areas with limited access to banking infrastructure.

Beyond the Solomon Islands, this initiative signals a wider trend—smaller economies experimenting with CBDCs to modernize payments while maintaining monetary sovereignty, rather than relying on private stablecoins or tech giants.

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The SORA Connection

Bokolo Cash and SORA illustrate two sides of SORAMITSU’s blockchain expertise:

• CBDCs: Controlled, regulated digital currencies for national use.
• DeFi: Open, permissionless systems for decentralized economies.

Both are powered by Hyperledger Iroha, using the same security and consensus mechanisms. This common foundation paves the way for potential interoperability between CBDCs and DeFi networks—a glimpse at the next evolution of blockchain finance.

Learn more in our Blockchain vs DeFi guide.

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SORAMITSU’s Expanding Role

From Cambodia’s Bakong to Laos’ Digital Kip (DLAK) and now the Solomon Islands, SORAMITSU has become a key player in the global CBDC movement. Its projects share a unified goal: enabling secure, transparent, and inclusive digital economies across Asia-Pacific.

For more information, visit the official Bokolo Cash page.

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Conclusion

The launch of Bokolo Cash marks a defining step in Pacific financial innovation—proof that even smaller economies can lead in CBDC adoption.

By pairing SORAMITSU’s blockchain technology with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands’ regulatory vision, Bokolo Cash offers a model for how mobile-first nations can embrace digital currency securely and sustainably.

As CBDCs and DeFi systems continue to mature, SORAMITSU’s work across both worlds points to a future where traditional and decentralized finance coexist seamlessly—building a more connected global economy.

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FAQs

What is Bokolo Cash?

Bokolo Cash is a central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot that enables instant mobile payments using Solomon Islands dollars via a blockchain system designed by SORAMITSU.

How does it help people in the Solomon Islands?

It simplifies daily payments and gives unbanked citizens access to safe, regulated digital money—supporting financial inclusion across 900+ islands.

What technology powers it?

Hyperledger Iroha, a blockchain framework by SORAMITSU, ensures secure and efficient digital asset management.

Has SORAMITSU done similar projects?

Yes. SORAMITSU developed Bakong in Cambodia and collaborated with the Bank of the Lao PDR on the Digital Lao Kip (DLAK) initiative.

Is Bokolo Cash safe?

Yes. It uses central-bank-grade security, end-to-end encryption, and full regulatory oversight.

How does Bokolo Cash relate to SORA?

Both are built on Hyperledger Iroha, highlighting SORAMITSU’s shared technology base for both CBDCs and DeFi.

Can Bokolo Cash be used internationally?

Currently it’s domestic. The Iroha-based architecture could support future cross-border CBDC integrations.

What’s the difference between Bokolo Cash and cryptocurrency?

Bokolo Cash is a CBDC managed by the central bank; cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are decentralized and not state-backed.

How does this compare to other Pacific CBDCs?

Bokolo Cash is among the first Pacific CBDCs, leveraging SORAMITSU’s proven Iroha platform already adopted in Cambodia and Laos.