India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), published its August bulletin on Monday. The report discusses several aspects of central bank digital currency (CBDC) and its implications. The RBI is actively involved in developing CBDC initiatives to enhance cross-border payments, improve financial inclusion, and mitigate risks posed by private digital instruments. The RBI’s…
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Pierre Poilievre, leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, backs a bill that seeks to ban central bank digital currency (CBDC) in Canada. He argues that a CBDC would give the government excessive control over finances, threatening privacy and economic freedom. “It’s time to put an end to creating a central bank digital currency in Canada,” he…
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U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty has discussed former President Donald Trump’s bitcoin plan, which includes creating a national bitcoin stockpile. The lawmaker expects to see several legislative proposals beyond what Trump announced. He believes this move will establish credibility for the currency and demonstrate national support for it. Senator Hagerty Discusses Trump’s Bitcoin Strategy U.S. Senator…
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Nigeria’s central bank digital currency, known as the eNaira, was the first of its kind in Africa. However, it currently represents only about 0.36% of the total currency in circulation. Nigerian experts attribute the slow adoption of the e-naira to its perceived lack of significant benefits compared to the traditional naira. E-Naira Adoption Lags Despite…
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Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) plans to introduce its wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) by 2029. The Philippine central bank’s CBDC initiative is near its proof-of-concept completion. “This is an innovative payment instrument,” said the BSP deputy governor. “This is an entirely new thing, and we have to make sure that we can offer…
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The recently completed proof of concept by the Bank of Ghana and the Monetary Authority of Singapore demonstrated that the latter’s central bank digital currency enables cross-border payments, excluding many intermediaries and associated costs. Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) stated that the proof of concept (POC) demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing digital credentials for international trade and cross-border…
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The People’s Bank of China and the National Bank of Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to collaborate on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). This collaboration agreement, formalized during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Kazakhstan, aims to enhance CBDC research through joint initiatives and professional development. China and Kazakhstan to Collaborate on Central Bank Digital Currencies…
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The Bank of Israel (BOI) is exploring a central bank digital currency (CBDC), a digital shekel, to modernize Israel’s payment system and drive innovation. However, BOI Deputy Governor Andrew Abir stated that the BOI is waiting for a major central bank, likely the European Central Bank (ECB), to introduce a digital currency before proceeding. This…
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The Banque de France (BDF) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have announced a collaboration on wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC). This partnership includes the HKMA’s involvement in Wave 2 of the European Central Bank’s Eurosystem exploratory work. The institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to innovate in wCBDC and tokenization markets,…
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The governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina has vetoed House Bill 690, which seeks to ban state payments using central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and the state’s participation in the Federal Reserve’s CBDC testing. The governor argued the bill was premature and emphasized the need for more funding for cybersecurity. House Bill 690…
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