Huawei has integrated the digital yuan, China's central bank digital currency (CBDC), into its HarmonyOS NEXT operating system, allowing users to access and use the digital currency without downloading a separate app. This accessibility is set to benefit up to 1 billion users of Huawei smartphones. The HarmonyOS NEXT, which is an upgraded version of the operating system, launched on October 22, 2024, and is the first truly self-developed operating system by Huawei after facing sanctions from the U.S. government in 2019. The digital yuan integration marks a significant step toward improving payment options and smart device interoperability, with plans to embed the currency into various Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The People's Bank of China will gain enhanced security and monitoring capabilities with this integration. The digital yuan is steadily gaining traction, as evidenced by recent events like the Craft Beer Festival and World Table Tennis Championships, where it was utilized, and the International Air Transport Association's decision to start accepting it as a currency.

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