Digital Shekel Challenge: Bank of Israel Engages 14 Teams for Digital Currency Innovation

The Bank of Israel has initiated the “Digital Shekel Challenge” to explore the potential of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) system inspired by the BIS Innovation Hub’s “Project Rosalind.” Fourteen teams from various sectors have been selected to propose innovative use cases. The challenge aims to integrate digital shekel with other payment systems and … Read more

Israel’s Digital Shekel Plans Hinge on ECB’s Digital Currency Move

The Bank of Israel (BOI) is exploring a central bank digital currency (CBDC), a digital shekel, to modernize Israel’s payment system and drive innovation. However, BOI Deputy Governor Andrew Abir stated that the BOI is waiting for a major central bank, likely the European Central Bank (ECB), to introduce a digital currency before proceeding. This … Read more

Bank of Israel Launches Digital Shekel Challenge

The Bank of Israel has announced the Digital Shekel Challenge, inviting various entities — private companies, public sector organizations, and academic institutions — to participate in the digital shekel’s experimental environment. The initiative aims to foster the development of innovative payment solutions using the digital shekel, leveraging its Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Participants are expected … Read more

BIS Releases Report On ‘Project Icebreaker’ — Develops Cross-Border Retail CBDC Payment Model

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has released a report summarizing the “Project Icebreaker” trial, which explored the potential advantages and difficulties of utilizing a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) in cross-border payments. The experiment was designed to test “the technical feasibility of conducting cross-border – cross-currency transactions between different [distrubuted ledger technology]-based CBDC … Read more

Davos 2023: CBDCs Are the Future of Central Bank Money but They Are Still Not Ready

A World Economic Forum (WEF) panel comprised of central bankers and global tech providers has profiled central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as the future of central bank money, presenting them as one of the solutions for limitations in the payments sector today. However, they have also stated these present several limitations still to be addressed. … Read more

Digital Asset Exchange Platform Granted ‘Crypto Financial Services Provider License’ by Israeli Regulator

An Israeli capital markets regulator, the Insurance and Savings Capital Market Authority, recently granted a “crypto financial services provider license” to Bits of Gold, the first such license for an active company in the country. This license allows Bits of Gold to offer crypto custodian services and to enable the safekeeping of funds belonging to … Read more

Public Consultations Reveal Positive Interest in Bank of Israel’s Digital Shekel

A survey carried out by the central bank of Israel has returned mostly positive responses from stakeholders regarding the possible issuance of a digital shekel currency. Many of the participants in the public consultations support the continued development of the project, the regulator said. Bank of Israel Releases Results From Consultations on Digital Shekel Project … Read more

Bank of Israel: Adoption of CBDC Will Not Materially Affect the Banking System

Israel’s central bank says the public’s adoption of the digital shekel is not expected “to materially affect the banking system.” The bank, however, warns that any issuance of such digital currency will likely result in a decline of the volume of the public’s deposits. Increase in the Banking System’s Interest Expenses Israel’s central bank, the … Read more

Palestinians Ponder Digital Currency as Move for Monetary Independence

The Palestine Monetary Authority is exploring the possibility of issuing its own digital currency. For Palestinians, the minting of a national coin would represent a step, at least a symbolic one, towards achieving monetary independence from the State of Israel. Digital Currency to Help Palestinians Cope With Israeli Restrictions Palestinians are currently conducting two studies … Read more