Cash
RBA sees no immediate need for retail CBDC
Head of payments policy discusses trade-offs involved in issuance
Covid-19 may survive 28 days on banknotes and payment cards
New research suggests virus can survive for an extended period of time at room temperature
Counterfeits rise with issuance on multiple substrates
Average percentage of counterfeits per total volume in circulation is around 0.01%
Sama launches polymer version of five-riyal banknote
New note will circulate alongside existing cotton banknotes
Global banknote developments before and after Covid-19
Antti Heinonen looks at how the pandemic triggered sharp changes in demand for cash
UK’s access to cash policy pilots to launch in 2021
Industry body seeks permission from FCA to allow retailers to provide cashback services
Reserve Benchmarks 2020 report – charting new data frontiers
Perspectives on staffing and salaries, reserve coverage, portfolio construction, benchmarking, use of external parties and risk management
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank official says CBDC is ‘foolproof’
Central bank asks consumers to register for second stage of digital currency pilot
Ethiopia launches new high-denomination banknote
New 200 birr note aims to curb inflation and corruption, central bank says, as Covid-19 slows growth
Covid-19 will not result in CBDC issuance, say central bankers
Policy-makers think changes in payment behaviour will be temporary and CBDC research will take time
Mauritius governor defends central bank’s funding of government
“Unprecedented times” require “unprecedented set of measures” including $1.5bn funding of government, says Harvesh Seegolam
Consumers must be informed of access to cash changes – FCA
FCA warns decisions around closure of cash services must be ‘fair’ to customers
Central Banking’s strategic changes for a new era
New institute, benchmarks, virtual training and online event weeks launched
Lower financial literacy linked to crypto asset ownership – Bank of Canada
New cash survey shows financial literacy is positively associated with crypto asset awareness, but negatively associated with ownership
Brazil launches new 200 real banknote as hoarding continues
New banknote worth $37 features new security features, and has been sized to ensure quick dispersal
2019 a bumper year for coins – RBNZ data
Over 120 million coins were minted for New Zealand’s central bank last year
Klaas Knot on ECB policy-making, the FSB and central bank ‘capture’
DNB president talks about the temporary nature of unconventional policies, the importance of inflation target ‘bands’, the role of central banks as ‘circuit-breakers’ and ECB decision-making under Christine Lagarde
CBDC projects aim to complement cash – BIS survey
Many central banks are creating “hybrid” CBDCs, according to survey of 32 projects
Fed paper looks at different CBDC types
“Account-based”, “cash equivalent” and “hybrid” CBDCs all have varying advantages – researchers
Facebook’s libra could disrupt collateral markets – IMF paper
Collateral used to back ‘stablecoins’ such as libra will be unavailable for reuse
Fed picks G+D to develop ‘next-generation’ currency processing
German firm developed new prototype for the Fed to maximise speed and accuracy
Bank of Japan intensifies CBDC research
Central bank appoints new CBDC head as ruling party warns Chinese effort poses security threat
Brazil plans new note as cash demand hits record high
Central bank will introduce 200 real banknote as Brazilians start to hoard cash
Costa Rica to issue first polymer banknotes
Central bank will retain size and colour of existing notes to smooth transition to new substrate