FINANCE

Macao Joins $56 Billion Central Bank Digital Currency Platform mBridge

Published: Jun. 3, 2026 12:23 a.m. GMT+8

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Macao has become the sixth member of the mBridge central bank digital currency project. Photo: Monetary Authority of Macao

Macao has officially joined the mBridge central bank digital currency project, becoming the sixth member of the multinational cross-border payment platform.

The Monetary Authority of Macao launched trading on the platform for 11 local banks on Tuesday. The city also announced that its own digital currency, the Digital Macao Pataca, has entered sandbox testing for future rollout in public services and retail payments.

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Macao became sixth mBridge member; 11 local banks launched trading. Digital Macao Pataca entered sandbox testing for public services and retail.
First cross-border transactions via Macao included transfers to Hong Kong and UAE, clearing in seconds, establishing a yuan channel in the Middle East.
mBridge blockchain processed over 4,000 transactions worth $56B by Jan 2026, aiming to accelerate trade settlements and link China with Portuguese-speaking countries.

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Who’s Who

China National Petroleum Corp.: China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) executed the first cross-border mBridge transactions via Macao on Tuesday, alongside Bank of China Macao branch. The trades included transfers between Macao and Hong Kong and a direct remittance to the UAE, clearing in seconds and establishing a new yuan channel in the Middle East.

Bank of China: Bank of China's Macao branch participated in the first cross-border mBridge transactions on the platform, alongside China National Petroleum Corp. The trades included transfers between Macao and Hong Kong, and a direct remittance to the UAE, clearing in seconds, establishing a new channel for the Chinese yuan in the Middle East.

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What Happened When

Before 2026：: mBridge project initially developed by the People's Bank of China, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and central banks of Thailand and UAE; platform added Saudi Arabia before admitting Macao