Blockchain
MAS launches asset tokenisation and DeFi project
First pilot on bond transactions will involve state-owned firms and JP Morgan
Book notes: The future of money, by Eswar S Prasad
Prasad’s book is the best on the topic so far, providing the most complete description of issues and factors that will shape the future of money
Tech talent: a global bottleneck for central banks?
Central banks are struggling to recruit people with the right fintech expertise. The search for talent may also create new ethical challenges in managing links to industry
MAS crypto regulatory powers extended
New bill brings virtual asset providers under AML/CFT regulation
Central bank of the year: Bank of Korea
South Korea’s central bank was the first developed-world central bank to tighten policy to address inflationary risks
Markus Brunnermeier on the need for CBDCs
The Princeton academic co-authored a paper for the European Parliament exploring the potential pitfalls of CBDCs. But they are still needed, he says
Machine learning and NLP top regtech tools
Micro-prudential reporting and risk assessment are main regtech applications
Podcast: fixing the gaps in fintech laws
Fintech is reshaping the nature of contracts and even financial firms themselves, but laws are not adapting so fast, say IMF lawyers José Garrido and Juan Sebastián Viancha Trujillo
Pilot CBDC outage due to expired certificate, ECCB says
Blockchain network requires update before digital currency can come back online
Indian government directs RBI to issue CBDC
Central bank told to prepare to issue the digital currency in 2022 and 2023
Eastern Caribbean digital currency remains offline
DCash has been shut down since January 14, as firm says it has “identified problem”
ECCB digital currency suffers outage
Eastern Caribbean’s DCash disrupted by unspecified “technical issue”
Joint CBDC project highlights promise of interoperability
Banque de France, HSBC and IBM find different technologies can still work together
Jamaica prepares for national CBDC launch
Country is in the vanguard of digital currencies as it begins its national launch this quarter
US regulators call for new stablecoin regulations
Working group wants issuers to be insured and regulated like banks
Interoperability of stablecoins
Central bank reserves could be a better option for backing stablecoins than Treasuries, say Manmohan Singh, Caitlin Long and Charles Kahn
Nigeria launches ‘digital naira’ pilot
Central bank issues $1.2 million in retail CBDC after clampdown on private crypto
Group tests bond settlement on French CBDC platform
Euroclear says CBDC-driven system can plug into existing market infrastructure
Agustín Carstens on BIS strategic priorities, innovation and central bank policy
The BIS general manager speaks about policy trade-offs at critical time, tackling NBFIs and the dearth of ‘green’ assets, tech collaboration, and why he favours Biden’s $3.5trn infrastructure bill
Colombian central bank joins DLT bond issuance pilot
Technology could cut costs and offer faster processing, traceability, security and risk management
Recipe for a chief (fin)tech officer
Private-sector experience, a knowledge of supervision and a zest for innovation are key ingredients for a chief fintech officer
Vietnam’s central bank to pilot ‘virtual currency’
Prime minister orders central bank to develop blockchain-based prototype by 2023
Benoît Cœuré on CBDCs, stablecoins and central bank fintech co-operation
BIS Innovation Hub chief voices concerns about the timing of stablecoin and CBDC roll-outs, fintech risks for supervisors and monetary policy, and details development plans for eight innovation locations
Decentralised, private, cash-like: researchers propose CBDC designs
Canadian universities outline several options for a central bank digital currency