Financial Stability
SARB launches upgraded banknote series
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) on Monday 17 January launched banknotes with improved security features which will go into circulation from 1 February 2005.
Seminar stresses need for Qatar's Q-pay project
Hashim Al Sada, Director of System Development and Planning at Qatar central bank on Monday 10 January stressed the importance of the Q-Pay project which would enable online payments through the Internet.
BCEAO selects infrastructure management platform
The central bank of West African States (BCEAO) announced Monday it would implement HighStreet Networks Xpress(TM) to monitor and control their complete computing infrastructure.
ECB's framework for the detection of fake euros
The Eurosystem's terms of reference for the detection of counterfeits and fitness sorting of euro banknotes by credit institutions and other professional cash handlers was published on Thursday 6 January by the ECB.
ECB announces public consultation on SWIFT
The European Central Bank announced on Wednesday 5 January that it was inviting the market to participate in the SWIFT public consultation on removing technical barriers to market integration.
Qatar to launch Payment Gateway early next year
Qatar's Central Bank (QCB) has said is will launch its Payment Gateway in early 2005 which will boost and ease e-commerce and e-transactions in Qatar.
SARB to issue upgraded banknotes in the new year
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) announced on Monday 13 December that it plans to issue upgraded banknotes with improved security features from 1 February 2005.
CLS Bank live with four additional currencies
CLS Bank International announced on Monday 6 December that it will settle payment instructions in four new currencies for the first time this week. This brings to fifteen the number of currencies eligible to settle through CLS Bank.
Fed says electronic payments exceed check payments
Surveys conducted by the Federal Reserve confirm that electronic payment transactions in the United States have exceeded check payments for the first time, the Financial Services Policy Committee said on Monday 6 December.
Towards a Single Euro Payments Area - 3rd report
In its third progress report on the single euro payment area (SEPA), published on Thursday 2 December, the Governing Council of the ECB assesses recent developments in the efforts to transform the still largely fragmented national retail payment systems…
RBA Payments System Board Annual Report 2004
The Reserve Bank of Australia Payments System Board has published its Annual Report for the year ended 2004. Over the past couple of years the Board's work in relation to the safety and stability of the payments system has focussed on the development of…
Revisions to Fed's payments systems risk policy
The Federal Reserve Board announced on Friday 26 November the approval of proposed revisions to its Policy on Payments System Risk (PSR Policy) addressing risk management in payments and securities settlement systems.
Bank of Canada issues new $50 banknote
The Bank of Canada put into circulation Canada's new $50 banknote on Wednesday 17 November. The new note will be distributed and become available across the country over the next few weeks.
Changes to New Zealand's `silver' coins?
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced on 11 November details of proposals to modernise New Zealand's `silver' coloured coins. The Reserve Bank emphasised that no decisions have been made, and is now seeking feedback from the public.
Sweden to withdraw some older notes and coins
The Sveriges Riksbank announced on 9 November that the Riksdag (the Swedish parliament) decided on 27 October, following a proposal from the Riksbank, that some older series of banknotes and coins shall cease being legal tender after 31 December 2005.
Securities and clearing settlement systems
This ECB occasional paper "Governance of securities clearing and settlement systems" provides a description of the existing general approaches to corporate governance. It then identifies determinants of the corporate governance structures and mechanisms…
Central bank of Oman awards RTGS project to Imtac
The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has signed a contract for the implementation of Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) with Imtac LLC, a leading IT solutions vendor, the Times of Oman reported Tuesday.
Research on financial stability
This article reviews recent developments in some of the most promising areas of academic research related to financial stability.
The pursuit of financial stability – an outside view
A two-part survey of central banks’ work in financial stability – the first article offers a critical assessment, the second an overview of current policy-oriented research. By Robert Pringle.
A precarious prosperity
Central Banking reviews a new guide to London’s financial centre.
The role of central bank capital
A new ECB paper provides a theoretical underpinning to the case for central banks to hold adequate capital. An assessment by Paul Brione.
Japan's Koizumi says steady recovery desirable
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Monday 1 November that he wants Japan's economy to recover "at a steady pace" as the central bank released redesigned and more secure banknotes for the first time in 20 years.
Issues paper for ECB conference on 10 Nov
In preparation for an internal conference on e-payments, the ECB has produced an issues paper entitled "E-payments without frontiers". The paper covers observations on innovation in retail payments, challenges to be faced before a mature and integrated…