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Marshall Islands launches worlds first universal basic income scheme offering cryptocurrency

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Marshall Islands debuts on-chain UBI with USDM1 bond backed by U.S. Treasuries

Marshall Islands introduces world's first crypto-based universal income scheme

Lowy Institute

The Marshall Islands experiment with a universal basic income

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Marshall Islands Becomes First To Launch On-Chain UBI

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Marshall Islands Launches First Blockchain Universal Basic Income On Stellar

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Worlds first universal basic income launched

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Marshall Islands launch worlds first on-chain UBI program on Stellar

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Marshall Islands Rolls Out Universal Basic Income With Crypto Payment Option

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Universal Basic Income by 2030

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The Republic of the Marshall Islands completed the world's first on-chain universal basic income (UBI) disbursement on Tuesday, using the Stellar blockchain and distributing payments through USDM1 — a U.S. dollar-denominated sovereign bond fully backed by short-term U.S. Treasury bills.

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The Republic of the Marshall Islands completed the world's first on-chain universal basic income (UBI) disbursement on Tuesday, using the Stellar blockchain and distributing payments through USDM1 — a U.S. dollar-denominated sovereign bond fully backed by short-term U.S. Treasury bills.

More than 33,000 Marshallese residents have enrolled in the ENRA program, which provides each resident with approximately $200 per quarter, totaling $800 per year. Recipients can choose to pay via digital wallet, bank deposit, or physical check.

More than 33,000 Marshallese residents have enrolled in the ENRA program, which provides each resident with approximately $200 per quarter, totaling $800 per year. Recipients can choose to pay via digital wallet, bank deposit, or physical check.

The program replaces quarterly physical cash deliveries with instant digital transfers across 24 widely dispersed atolls, addressing logistical challenges where traditional banking access is limited by geographic barriers and cash deliveries involve long delays and high costs.

The program replaces quarterly physical cash deliveries with instant digital transfers across 24 widely dispersed atolls, addressing logistical challenges where traditional banking access is limited by geographic barriers and cash deliveries involve long delays and high costs.

USDM1 operates under New York law, using a Brady bond structure with U.S. Treasury collateral held by an independent trustee. The Finance Ministry stated that it preserves the nation's sovereignty and does not function as a new currency but as a secure fiscal instrument.

USDM1 operates under New York law, using a Brady bond structure with U.S. Treasury collateral held by an independent trustee. The Finance Ministry stated that it preserves the nation's sovereignty and does not function as a new currency but as a secure fiscal instrument.

The Marshall Islands operates under the Compact of Free Association with the U.S. through 2043, receiving approximately $67 million in annual development assistance. The U.S. also pays into a trust fund valued at $1.042 billion as of the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The Marshall Islands operates under the Compact of Free Association with the U.S. through 2043, receiving approximately $67 million in annual development assistance. The U.S. also pays into a trust fund valued at $1.042 billion as of the 2024-25 fiscal year.

According to the International Monetary Fund, the initiative is expected to cost around 8.1% of GDP once fully implemented, which could crowd out other critical spending and undermine fiscal sustainability. However, the government maintains the payments will not compel citizens to quit their jobs.

According to the International Monetary Fund, the initiative is expected to cost around 8.1% of GDP once fully implemented, which could crowd out other critical spending and undermine fiscal sustainability. However, the government maintains the payments will not compel citizens to quit their jobs.

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The Republic of the Marshall Islands completed the world's first on-chain universal basic income disbursement on December 16, 2025, using the Stellar blockchain, with payments distributed through USDM1, a U.S. dollar-denominated sovereign bond fully backed by short-term U.S. Treasury bills.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands completed the world's first on-chain universal basic income disbursement on December 16, 2025, using the Stellar blockchain, with payments distributed through USDM1, a U.S. dollar-denominated sovereign bond fully backed by short-term U.S. Treasury bills.

More than 33,000 resident Marshallese citizens have enrolled in the program known as ENRA, which provides approximately $200 quarterly to each resident citizen, amounting to $800 per year, with recipients able to choose payment via digital wallet, bank deposit or physical check.

More than 33,000 resident Marshallese citizens have enrolled in the program known as ENRA, which provides approximately $200 quarterly to each resident citizen, amounting to $800 per year, with recipients able to choose payment via digital wallet, bank deposit or physical check.

The program replaces quarterly physical cash deliveries with instant digital transfers across 24 widely dispersed atolls, addressing logistical challenges where traditional banking access faces geographic barriers and cash deliveries involved long delays and high costs.

The program replaces quarterly physical cash deliveries with instant digital transfers across 24 widely dispersed atolls, addressing logistical challenges where traditional banking access faces geographic barriers and cash deliveries involved long delays and high costs.

USDM1 operates under New York law using a Brady-bond structure with U.S. Treasury collateral held by an independent trustee, with the Finance Ministry stating it preserves the nation's sovereignty and does not function as a new currency but as a secure fiscal instrument.

USDM1 operates under New York law using a Brady-bond structure with U.S. Treasury collateral held by an independent trustee, with the Finance Ministry stating it preserves the nation's sovereignty and does not function as a new currency but as a secure fiscal instrument.

The Marshall Islands operates under the Compact of Free Association with the United States through 2043, receiving around $67 million annually in development assistance, with the U.S. also paying into a trust fund valued at $1.042 billion as of the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The Marshall Islands operates under the Compact of Free Association with the United States through 2043, receiving around $67 million annually in development assistance, with the U.S. also paying into a trust fund valued at $1.042 billion as of the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The International Monetary Fund warned that the initiative, expected to cost around 8.1% of GDP once fully implemented, could crowd out other critical spending and undermine fiscal sustainability, though the government maintains the payments will not compel citizens to quit their jobs.

The International Monetary Fund warned that the initiative, expected to cost around 8.1% of GDP once fully implemented, could crowd out other critical spending and undermine fiscal sustainability, though the government maintains the payments will not compel citizens to quit their jobs.

The Marshall Islands' blockchain UBI scheme faces serious implementation challenges that undermine its effectiveness. Internet connectivity remains patchy and frequently disrupted across the islands, making digital payments impractical for most citizens. The overwhelming majority of recipients — 60 percent choosing bank deposits and most of the remainder opting for paper checks — demonstrates that blockchain technology offers no real advantage over traditional methods.

The Marshall Islands' blockchain UBI scheme faces serious implementation challenges that undermine its effectiveness. Internet connectivity remains patchy and frequently disrupted across the islands, making digital payments impractical for most citizens. The overwhelming majority of recipients — 60 percent choosing bank deposits and most of the remainder opting for paper checks — demonstrates that blockchain technology offers no real advantage over traditional methods.

Blockchain technology solves the impossible logistics of delivering payments across 40,000 people scattered over 2 million square kilometers of ocean. Traditional finance literally couldn't reach outer island communities where only half have bank branches and checks take weeks to arrive by boat. Digital wallets enable instant delivery through the internet rather than unreliable maritime transport, providing genuine financial access where conventional infrastructure has failed.

Blockchain technology solves the impossible logistics of delivering payments across 40,000 people scattered over 2 million square kilometers of ocean. Traditional finance literally couldn't reach outer island communities where only half have bank branches and checks take weeks to arrive by boat. Digital wallets enable instant delivery through the internet rather than unreliable maritime transport, providing genuine financial access where conventional infrastructure has failed.

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Marshall Islands Launches World's First Blockchain UBI

Income

Marshall Islands

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The Marshall Islands' blockchain UBI scheme faces serious implementation challenges that undermine its effectiveness. Internet connectivity remains patchy and frequently disrupted across the islands, making digital payments impractical for most citizens. The overwhelming majority of recipients — 60% choosing bank deposits and most of the remainder opting for paper checks — demonstrates that blockchain technology offers no real advantage over traditional methods.

The Marshall Islands' blockchain UBI scheme faces serious implementation challenges that undermine its effectiveness. Internet connectivity remains patchy and frequently disrupted across the islands, making digital payments impractical for most citizens. The overwhelming majority of recipients — 60% choosing bank deposits and most of the remainder opting for paper checks — demonstrates that blockchain technology offers no real advantage over traditional methods.

Blockchain technology solves the logistical challenge of delivering payments to 40,000 people scattered across 2 million square kilometers of ocean. Traditional finance literally couldn't reach outer island communities, where only half have bank branches, and checks take weeks to arrive by boat. Digital wallets enable instant delivery through the internet rather than unreliable maritime transport, providing genuine financial access where conventional infrastructure has failed.

Blockchain technology solves the logistical challenge of delivering payments to 40,000 people scattered across 2 million square kilometers of ocean. Traditional finance literally couldn't reach outer island communities, where only half have bank branches, and checks take weeks to arrive by boat. Digital wallets enable instant delivery through the internet rather than unreliable maritime transport, providing genuine financial access where conventional infrastructure has failed.

There's a 5% chance that the U.S., U.K., China, or any of the countries in the EU will enact a universal basic income before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 5% chance that the U.S., U.K., China, or any of the countries in the EU will enact a universal basic income before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Marshall Islands Launches World's First Blockchain UBI

Marshall Islands Launches World's First Blockchain UBI

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Marshall Islands Launches World's First Blockchain UBI

Marshall Islands Launches World's First Blockchain UBI

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