Payments
Bank of Japan to start CBDC pilot in April
Central bank presses ahead with designing a general purpose CBDC
Laotian central bank launches CBDC pilot
Bank of the Lao PDR working with Japanese government and fintech firm to test CBDC
UAE plans to launch CBDC by 2026
Fintech strategy aims for cashless society through digital transformation
Bank Negara Malaysia commits to improve financial inclusion
BNM says the pandemic has eroded many people’s financial buffers
Digital pound would help resist ‘walled gardens’ – BoE’s Cunliffe
Tech firms may be able to quickly gain payments dominance, which a CBDC could break
CBRT steps in with support for earthquake-stricken regions
Turkish central bank eases payment costs and credit conditions as rescue work continues
BoE launches design phase of ‘digital pound’ project
UK likely to issue central bank digital currency as anchor for monetary sovereignty
Cash demand solid despite digitalisation, CPMI finds
Latest ‘red book’ statistics show rapid growth in cashless payments, but demand for cash still resilient
Iran and Russia to link banking systems to bypass sanctions
Move follows Iran’s signing of free trade “memorandum” with Russia-led EAEU
Fed deals double blow to crypto bank
Wyoming-based Custodia turned down for Fed membership and master account
Stefan Ingves on leadership, prudential oversight and transparency
The Riksbank and Basel Committee veteran speaks about his leadership philosophy, Basel III deal-making and concerns about regulatory rollback, the value of QE and negative rates, and the need for a legal architecture for CBDCs
Argentina and Brazil’s currency proposal met with scepticism
Experts say it is unclear whether governments want currency union or trade settlement mechanism
Why central banks shouldn’t ignore stablecoins
Rapid growth of stablecoins could impair monetary policy transmission
PBoC launches offline CBDC payments
Users can also conduct e-yuan transactions with 0% battery
The always imminent demise of the global dollar
Creating effective alternatives will remain long and arduous despite China’s development of Cips, the mCBDC bridge and any oil-price redenomination, writes Barry Eichengreen
Brazil’s central bank reassures public that Pix is free
Online rumours claimed payments system would start charging consumers and firms
Russia developing cross-border CBDC settlement
Research into two proposed models for digital ruble exports to begin in Q1
RBI strategy targets global rupee use
Central bank aims for wider use of Indian payment technology and spread of national currency
The behind-the-scenes effort to convert Ukrainian refugee cash
How central and commercial banks worked to allow Ukrainians to exchange cash in wartime
There’s work to be done on RTGS contingencies
Central bankers from Canada, Thailand, Singapore and Brazil discuss RTGS backup planning, including how redundancy, cost and complexity prevent central banks from operating more contingency sites
Kentucky restaurant sues Fed
Restaurant latest plaintiff to argue that debit interchange fees are illegally high
Eurozone citizens still use cash in majority of transactions
Cash use declines since 2019, but still makes up almost 60% of transactions
BoE outlines plan to adapt to drop in cash volumes
Legislation will give regulators stronger powers to intervene in wholesale cash market