Payments
Palestinian Monetary Authority launches instant payment system
Move aimed at providing alternative to traditional services damaged during conflict
BoE’s high-value payment system hit by ‘global payments issue’
Settlement of some payments delayed after problem originating with Swift; ECB delays closure of Target systems
Eurozone consumers’ smart payments use limited – ECB paper
Many customers believe merchants do not accept non-cash methods, researchers say
FSB issues recommendations to improve cross-border payments
Data flows and payment service providers among the key areas of concern
Palau building blockchain government bond platform
Contract won by Japanese company that co-developed Cambodia’s digital currency
Full-scale war with Hezbollah is a tail-end event – Bank of Israel deputy
Andrew Abir says central bank has advised government to ensure adequate fiscal space as it expects war to last longer and revises its growth and inflation forecasts
Cash use on the decline in Germany
Card and mobile payments gain ground as cash’s share of payments falls to 51% in 2023
Inflation targets have served EMEs well, says Sarb governor
EMEs and banks have ridden out rate rises relatively well, but refinancing and geopolitical risks remain
Book notes: Bucking the buck: US financial sanctions and the international backlash against the dollar, by Daniel McDowell
A timely and well-documented book about the weaponisation of the US dollar
African countries plan to link payment systems – Rwangombwa
Rwanda central bank governor promotes scope for fintech growth in Africa
Banque de France and HKMA to conduct cross-border CBDC test
HKMA is the first non-European central bank to join the Eurosystem’s wholesale DLT settlement trials
BNM’s Rasheed on inflation, growth and currency performance in emerging markets
Bank Negara Malaysia’s governor speaks about balancing inflation and growth, supporting the ringgit, multilateral currency settlement and greening Islamic finance
Bahamas’ central bank will tell lenders to make CBDC available
Governor says central bank will introduce measures over next two years amid low take-up
BIS instant payments trial to move from ‘concept to reality’
India joins Project Nexus as it prepares for “live implementation”
Hungary’s central bank orders faster action over Apple Pay glitch
Lenders deflecting customer complaints is unacceptable, says central bank
Payments Benchmarks 2024 – model banks analysis
Breakdowns of key data from the payments benchmark shed light on how the function is governed
Digital euro ‘may require’ battery-powered cards for offline use
Eurosystem could develop its own app to manage digital euro accounts
European Commission opens consultation on AI in finance
As AI use in financial services increases, regulators must balance innovation with risk
Payments Benchmarks 2024 report – towards tokenisation
Benchmarks highlight optimism on tokenisation, hostility to crypto and efforts to upgrade RTGS
BIS and BoE launch project to simplify FX transactions
Project Meridian FX seeks to link RTGS and DLT systems
Non-banks in RTGSs: greater efficiency or more risk?
Policy-makers and practitioners from central banks in Brazil, Hungary, Israel, Romania, Rwanda and the US share their perspectives