Payments
Payments efficiency is driving force behind many CBDCs
Inclusion, financial stability and monetary policy are also leading factors
Palestine Monetary Authority launches new payment system
Governor says authority is planning measures to discourage the use of cash
Fed paper explores stablecoins’ impact on financial system
Researchers say stablecoins could be a ‘digital safe haven’ during volatility, but design choices matter
Boston Fed-MIT team hails successful CBDC test
The project’s two open-source systems were able to process large transaction volumes
RBNZ launches CBDC pilot project
Governor says central bank must maintain legitimacy by “responding to the needs of the public”
How Afghanistan’s central bank can help prevent famine
Rules could be devised to allow the New York Fed to ease the acute US dollar banknotes shortage, writes Warren Coats
Diem confirms sale of stablecoin technology
Facebook-backed project sold its last remaining assets to Silvergate Capital
Facebook-backed stablecoin project to wind down, report says
Project formerly known as Libra had struggled to gain regulatory approval
BIS unveils 2022 programmes for innovation hubs
Focus is on CBDC, payments, DeFi, green finance, and first projects in London and Stockholm
Experts divided over Fed’s ‘intermediated’ approach to CBDC
Observers praise the Fed’s conservative pace but criticise aspects of its hypothetical system design
Visa and ConsenSys launch plan to bridge CBDCs and traditional payments
Payments giant and fintech firm to develop “on-ramp” to link up existing and new systems
No ‘convincing case’ for UK retail CBDC, say legislators
Report warns of potential “significant challenges” for financial stability and privacy posed by CBDC
Japan launches Oceania CBDC study
Fintech firm Soramitsu will examine outlook for digital currencies in four Pacific island states
ECCB digital currency suffers outage
Eastern Caribbean’s DCash disrupted by unspecified “technical issue”
Bolivian authorities implement crypto ban
Central bank will enforce 2020 measure banishing virtual assets from payments system
Inside the Bank of Israel’s emergency cash supply exercises
Amir Safranovich and Meir Bitton describe how the central bank ensures the financial system is always ready in case of an emergency
BIS-SNB project links wholesale CBDC to core banking system
Project Helvetia’s second phase demonstrates integration of DLT with standard systems is possible
Bahamas prepares to phase out cheque payments
Central Bank of the Bahamas continues to push digital transformation
Cyber security risks rose most in the past year
Operational and market risks also increased
Joint CBDC project highlights promise of interoperability
Banque de France, HSBC and IBM find different technologies can still work together
RBI launches offline digital payments
Indian central bank hopes scheme will promote digital payments in remote areas
Jamaica prepares for national CBDC launch
Country is in the vanguard of digital currencies as it begins its national launch this quarter
Mexican government announces CBDC for 2024
Bank of Mexico has yet to comment publicly on the initiative
2021: The year in review
The year has seen central banks switch from recovery mode to battling inflation. Central Banking looks back at the stories that made the biggest impact in 2021