Financial inclusion
Podcast: reflecting on CBDC issuance in the Caribbean
Co-founder of Bitt, Simon Chantry: the ECCB is ready for issuance of central bank digital currency
US bank mergers have not cut branch access – Cleveland Fed
Despite fall in banking firms, number of branches has grown, research finds
Fed joins Network for Indigenous Inclusion
Australian, Canadian and NZ central banks established group earlier this year
Cubero calls for expanded IMF role
Costa Rica governor endorses Resilience and Stability Trust proposal
Laos central bank to partner with Soramitsu on CBDC study
The study is said to begin as early as this month, but a launch of CBDC remains unsure
Strategies for change: central banks’ quest for diversity
Dedicated diversity strategies remain uncommon among central banks, despite growing recognition of the need for better minority representation
Bitcoin becomes legal tender in El Salvador
Observers warn move could further destabilise the fragile Salvadoran economy
Kuwait launches new interbank payment system
Transactions will be instantaneous and payment data encrypted, governor says
DCash: motivations, challenges, and lessons from the first monetary union CBDC pilot
Having worked on its Digital Currency Management System since 2016, Bitt has launched the first synthetic CBDC in Barbados, followed by another first in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union in March this year, with more ahead
RBI launches financial inclusion index
Metric based on 97 indicators designed to assess access, usage and quality of financial services
Digital revolution: perks of a global Chinese CBDC
Chinese central bank digital currency has the potential to boost the renminbi’s internationalisation further, but only if international investors have access.
Spain’s interior vulnerable to loss of cash access – Bank of Spain
Rural areas have older populations and rely more on cash, but banks are closing branches
Criteria for systemically important payment infrastructure differs
Thirty-one out of 37 central banks said they designate systemically important payment infrastructure
UK public has ‘reasonable’ access to cash, regulators say
But pandemic made it difficult for people to access and pay with cash, new research finds
FCA asked to investigate ‘unwarranted’ bank account freezing
Parliamentary committee concerned AI may have caused ‘inappropriate bias’
Microfinance improves access to bank credit – Fed paper
Study finds Rwandan initiative built credit record and made bank loans more accessible
US regulators to align policies on lower income lending
OCC backs down on separate CRA rules and starts joint consultation with Fed, FDIC
Somalia’s governor on rebuilding its central bank
Governor Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi discusses reviving Somalia’s war-damaged economy, re-creating a payments system, and dealing with remittances
UK regulators propose new policies to foster diversity
Data and disclosure will be important to assess progress, regulators say
O CBDC, O crypto! Wherefore art thou regtech?
Putting more investment and energy into regtech, instead of solely focusing on crypto and CBDC, would help to secure more of the expected benefits from digital evolution
Central banks leverage multimedia communication channels
Around a third have added podcasts, mobile apps and blogs to their comms repertoire
Vast majority of central banks provide communications training
Social media, writing skills and public speaking emerged as key areas
El Salvador’s bitcoin currency experiment
Move by first nation to approve bitcoin as legal tender raises important issues
The winners of the 2021 FinTech RegTech Global Awards
Fourth annual tech awards recognise excellence among central banks and the firms they work with