diff --git a/sql/registry.sql b/sql/registry.sql
index a105a25..6e39a39 100644
--- a/sql/registry.sql
+++ b/sql/registry.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS argent_registry;
+CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS argent_registry
+CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_uca1400_ai_ci;
 USE argent_registry;
 
 CREATE TABLE shards (
@@ -6,12 +7,14 @@ CREATE TABLE shards (
     name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
     db_name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
     host_address VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
-    port INT NOT NULL DEFAULT 53096,
+    port INT NOT NULL DEFAULT 53096
 );
 
 CREATE TABLE user_shard_map (
-    user_id CHAR(36) PRIMARY KEY,
+    user_id BINARY(16) PRIMARY KEY,
     username VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
+    name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
+    password_hash VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
     shard_id INT NOT NULL,
     is_active TINYINT(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT 1,
     created_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
@@ -24,9 +27,9 @@ CREATE TABLE cost_group_statuses (
 );
 
 CREATE TABLE cost_groups (
-    group_id CHAR(36) PRIMARY KEY,
+    group_id BINARY(16) PRIMARY KEY,
     name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
-    created_by CHAR(36),
+    created_by BINARY(16),
     status_id TINYINT NOT NULL DEFAULT '1',
     created_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
     FOREIGN KEY (created_by) REFERENCES user_shard_map(user_id),
@@ -39,8 +42,8 @@ CREATE TABLE group_roles (
 );
 
 CREATE TABLE group_members (
-    group_id CHAR(36),
-    user_id CHAR(36),
+    group_id BINARY(16),
+    user_id BINARY(16),
     role_id TINYINT DEFAULT '3',
     joined_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
     PRIMARY KEY (group_id, user_id),
diff --git a/sql/shard.sql b/sql/shard.sql
index 3af3fe3..69d6c22 100644
--- a/sql/shard.sql
+++ b/sql/shard.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS argent_shard_01;
+CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS argent_shard_01
+CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_uca1400_ai_ci;
 USE argent_shard_01;
 
 CREATE TABLE ledger_statuses (
@@ -7,10 +8,10 @@ CREATE TABLE ledger_statuses (
 );
 
 CREATE TABLE ledger (
-    entry_id CHAR(36) NOT NULL,
-    batch_id CHAR(36) NOT NULL,
-    user_id CHAR(36) NOT NULL,
-    group_id CHAR(36) DEFAULT NULL,
+    entry_id BINARY(16) NOT NULL,
+    batch_id BINARY(16) NOT NULL,
+    user_id BINARY(16) NOT NULL,
+    group_id BINARY(16) DEFAULT NULL,
     category_id INT,
     amount DECIMAL(15, 2) NOT NULL,
     currency_code CHAR(3) NOT NULL,
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ CREATE TABLE ledger (
 );
 
 CREATE TABLE user_balances (
-    user_id CHAR(36) NOT NULL,
+    user_id BINARY(16) NOT NULL,
     currency_code CHAR(3) NOT NULL,
     total_confirmed DECIMAL(15, 2) DEFAULT 0.00,
     total_pending DECIMAL(15, 2) DEFAULT 0.00,