Fintech
Asian central banks co-ordinating CBDC work in ‘near real time’
RBI deputy governor says Seacen members tend to use public-key cryptography in their design
Suptech strategy adoption remains below 50%
Resource constraints and data quality issues are still barriers
Nearly all central banks see CBDC as environmentally friendly
Few jurisdictions see initiative as comparable to banknotes’ lifecycle
Turkey’s digital lira to use ‘programmable payments’
Intermediaries will offer related services, though these may differ across providers
Central banks fear CBDC will heighten cyber threats
European jurisdictions less likely to be deterred by security concerns
Improving domestic payments efficiency drives retail CBDC research
Barriers to adoption include concerns around privacy, disintermediation and operational risk
RBI extends deadline for Paytm to close lender
Central bank continues to target fintech for “persistent non-compliance”
Wholesale CBDC work remains less popular than retail
Like retail, central banks say domestic payments efficiency is key driver
EU considering shift to T+1 or T+0 – Cipollone
ECB board member says markets are on brink of “significant shift” in digital settlement
One in four central banks exploring blockchain, DLT and tokenisation
No respondents say they are researching or collaborating on quantum computing
US sanctions firms for smuggling tech to Iran’s central bank
Central bank subsidiary that developed Iran’s digital currency platform among those targeted
Cyber security and adapting legacy systems are top tech challenges
Recruiting talent and regulating the fast-paced sector are also difficult
Legal mandates for CBDC issuance remain rare among central banks
Some await parliamentary approval as framework examination commences in their jurisdictions
More than half of central banks have a fintech strategy
Implementation challenged by poor regulation and talent scarcity
Central banks face challenges in hiring and retaining fintech staff
Over half of institutions recruit fintech professionals internally
Riksbank HR system restored 17 days after ransomware attack
Other incidents using Akira software reported across the world since 2023
Hong Kong issues world’s first multi-currency digital bond
Digital green bonds available in US dollars, Hong Kong dollars, euros and yuan
Russia to onboard 17 more banks in digital ruble trials
Central bank in talks with "friendly countries" to link with their CBDCs and payments systems
Head of Romania’s central bank ‘deepfaked’ by scammers
NBR says fraudsters’ use of AI-generated video points to increasing risks from manipulated imagery
Russia hosts Brics talks over cross-border use of CBDCs
Summit takes place in Moscow with bloc’s new Middle Eastern and African members
Public perception is key for stablecoin peg – BIS paper
Market sentiment is important in determining whether currencies remain at par with fiat money
Swedish central bank affected by ransomware attack
Riksbank’s HR and payroll reportedly still impeded after hackers targeted third-party cloud provider
‘Digital pound’ enters next stage of design phase
BoE and Treasury outline how CBDC could work and try to allay concerns