Blockchain
Chinese bitcoin exchanges continue prohibiting withdrawals
Bitcoin exchanges suspend withdrawals indefinitely following statement from PBoC official; central bank does see benefits to the technology
MAS unveils new DLT plans for securities and cross-border payments
Success of initial project leads authority to launch two 'spin-off' projects, including a possible cross-border application of central bank-issued digital currency
RBI’s Gandhi thinks blockchain’s capabilities are being ‘overstated’
Deputy governor says virtual currencies issues on a blockchain network pose a number of risks; fintech industry starting to wake up to blockchain’s “exaggerated” benefits
Weidmann urges central banks to promote economic and financial literacy
Financial literacy is crucial in underpinning trust in central banks, German governor stresses; advancements in technology will help to boost financial inclusion
Bitcoin exchange halts service after PBoC clampdown
BTC123 becomes first exchange in China to halt services due to ongoing investigation by government agencies into virtual currency; cuts rates on wealth products
RBI research arm tests blockchain for clearing, settlement
IDRBT releases white paper on the applications of blockchain, examining the benefits for the Indian financial sector; research group created proof-of-concept architecture to simulate clearing network
French central bank reveals details of blockchain experiment
Banque de France teams up with a fintech start-up to run distributed ledger tech through Sepa; the results of project expected to be presented at a conference in 2017
HKMA launches fintech accelerator
In partnership with Astri, initiative will “nurture” talent to meet the growing need for fintech innovation in the region
BoJ and ECB collaborate on distributed ledger tech
The project will examine the possibility of running central bank infrastructure platforms in a DL environment; research will focus on payments and securities settlement
Central banks ‘critical’ in the development of blockchain
Large South African commercial bank examines what a central bank digital currency would look like, coining the phrase “sovereign blockchain”
Federal Reserve conducts in-depth study into distributed ledger technology
Central bank publishes first paper discussing the benefits of distributed ledger technology in the realm of payments, and clearing and settlement; use of DLT could address “financial frictions”
Bundesbank unveils blockchain settlement system
Prototype system able to transfer digital coins or securities as well as settling “basic corporate actions”; Deutsche Bundesbank to continue working on project to create a test concept
Central Bank of West African States to regulate national digital currency
BCEAO to distribute digital currency first in Senegal before rolling it out across the west African bloc; 'eCFA' developed by regional bank and Irish fintech start-up eCurrency Mint
MAS launches blockchain experiment
Central bank to build a proof-of-concept model to conduct interbank payments; second phase could include foreign currency transactions
Distributed ledgers ‘too much of a moving target’ to write business standards, says Swift
Paper addresses questions about how DLT automation can run smoothly in multi-party network environment; Swift recognises full-scale standardisation of distributed ledger use is premature
Central banks are not fintech accelerators – Bundesbank official
German payments authority says fintech should receive equal regulatory treatment to banks
UBS teams up with other major banks in blockchain venture
‘Utility settlement coin’ to be backed by cash held at central banks; team of experts will keep an “open dialogue” with the banks and regulators throughout the testing process
Threats and opportunities for money and payments in the digital age
Supervisors will need to adapt their frameworks to protect trust in new protocols associated with cryptocurrencies and distributed ledgers, not merely guard against new risks