Digital currency
Six large banks join UBS digital currency project
UBS announces the third phase of its digital currency project; analysts question whether the project can deliver all it promises
Fintech can give emerging markets an edge – PNG governor
Loi Bakani says the central bank is supportive of attempts to develop financial technology, though it present regulators with a “massive challenge”
RBA payments board backs ‘digital identity’ for Australians
Board encourages payments industry to work on a framework that could make online transactions more convenient and secure
Digital currencies could transform the role of central banks – Chilean governor
Marcel is wary of developments with CBDCs, but believes they are still a long way off; he urges central banks to keep pace with fintech innovation
Sarb denies fintech firms have joined ‘sandbox’
South African central bank denies claims a blockchain start-up has been accepted into the scheme, as it does not currently exist; a working group is in discussions on feasibility
BoE bloggers suggest central banks could use equity-financed QE
Economists raise ideas for future balance sheet innovations, including digital currencies, helicopter money drops and equity-based quantitative easing
Panellists divided on merits of central bank digital currency
Sweden and Singapore unsure whether digital currencies will supersede cash in the near future; fintech innovation has the potential to increase competition in financial services
Kazakh central bank to roll out blockchain-based savings
Central bank plans to allow members of the public to trade its short-term notes on a blockchain-based system by the end of the year
Digital currency could remove need for positive inflation target, economists argue
Proposed digital framework eliminates the need for “inflation buffer” and promotes transparency of the balance sheet
All aboard the blockchain
The underpinning architecture of bitcoin and other crypto-currencies – distributed ledger technology – has the potential to revolutionise digital payments, with some central banks working out how to harness ‘the blockchain’
Bank of Korea paper says digital currency will not displace hard cash
Digital currency could be used as a medium of exchange, but will not oust cash as a store of value, given the issues surrounding insurance and trust, authors of working paper find
Norway’s Nicolaisen: central banks must guard against e-money takeover
Private electronic money can bring drawbacks, especially in a crisis, Norges Bank deputy governor warns; central banks need to come up with better options
BoJ’s Nakaso says digital currencies would allow ‘wider access’ to payments
Replacing banknotes with digital currencies would be “extreme”, deputy governor says, but would allow “wider access” to central bank payment infrastructure
New paper examines central bank digital currency models
Bank of Canada experiment proves distributed ledger networks can be used to settle payments; paper examines the difference between retail and wholesale models
G20 should create central bank blockchain group – think tank
Policy brief stresses the need for the G20 to be a leading figure in the blockchain debate; new consortium to discuss implications for monetary and fiscal policy