Data
Central banks favour instant payments over CBDCs
Interoperability of systems and financial inclusion drive decisions among survey respondents
Budget and RTGS operating expenses rise year on year
Share of central banks charging both fixed and varied fees for RTGS access grows
Most central banks operate RTGS seven to 12 hours daily
Respondents processed over $6 trillion via system in 2024
Number of non-banks with RTGS access rises year on year
Middle income central banks account for largest number of connections
Half of retail payment sectors saw diversification last year
Changes include regulations, technology and rate of participation
Two-fifths of central banks leave payment fees unregulated
Middle income institutions more likely to regulate prices than other respondents
Larger teams more likely to oversee payments networks
Most central banks have general mandate to safeguard all payment systems
Quarter of payments departments report resourcing issues
Average number of FTE employees increases year on year to 40
US citizens increasingly reluctant to relocate – study
Richmond Fed research cites multiple causes, including narrowing gender gap and seniors’ wish to stay put
Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2025 – model banks analysis
Data breakdowns reveal differences in strategic goals, department structure and salaries
Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2025 – executive summary
The first strategic planning benchmark reveals strategic priorities, frameworks and KPIs
Strategic Planning Benchmarks 2025 report – charting a path
The first strategic planning benchmark sheds light on department structure, control methods and KPIs
Book notes: Smart money: how digital currencies will win the new Cold War, by Brunello Rosa with Casey Larsen
This alarmist book, although lacking nuance, provides a lucid account of how CBDCs could play a decisive role in geopolitical dominance
Over half of central banks employ strategic progress monitoring tools
Just a quarter of jurisdictions evaluate success with external means
Most central banks gauge strategic plans with KPIs
Respondents reveal KPI use cases in operations and compliance with mandate
Central banks rate strategic plan visibility and authority highest
Resourcing tends to be somewhat more challenging across jurisdictions
Third of central banks link staff remuneration to strategic plan
Strategic planners are paid $40,000 on average per year
Strategic plans widely integrated into staff annual reviews
Staffing averages just under five persons in strategic planning units
Working group minutes: refining forecast models
Central bank economists discuss challenges of tackling errors and integrating new model features
Governing boards approve majority of strategic plans
Departmental heads widely assigned implementation duties
Three in four central banks use dedicated strategic units
Units typically have a direct reporting line to the governor