Bank of Russia to Launch Digital Ruble Payment Infrastructure by July 2025

The Bank of Russia aims to open the payment infrastructure for the Russian central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital ruble, by July next year. Larger banks will offer digital ruble accounts and services by this deadline, with smaller institutions following later. The initiative seeks to enhance payment efficiency and reduce costs, with retailers also … Read more

Swift Unveils Plan to Integrate Digital Assets and Currencies Into Global Payment Network

Swift has unveiled a plan to enable the movement of digital assets and currencies on its global payment network. The initiative aims to integrate regulated digital currencies into Swift’s platform, building on past experiments. “We’re paving the way towards real-world solutions that will enable our members to access and transact with regulated digital assets and … Read more

China’s Digital Yuan Nears $1 Trillion in Transactions, PBOC Official Reveals

China’s digital yuan initiative has advanced considerably, backed by over a decade of research and four years of pilot experimentation, according to Lu Lei, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). Trials for the Chinese central bank digital currency (CBDC) have been conducted in 17 different areas, accumulating a total transaction value of … Read more

North Carolina Rejects Federal Digital Currency, Overrides Governor’s Veto

The North Carolina General Assembly has overridden Governor Roy Cooper’s veto to enact a bill prohibiting a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the state. The Senate voted 27-17, securing the required supermajority. The bill bars payments using CBDC and state participation in Federal Reserve testing. This bill reflects strong opposition to CBDCs and emphasizes … Read more

Russia Expands Digital Ruble Pilot With New Features: Widespread Use Expected in 2025

Russia’s central bank is expanding its digital currency pilot program, involving 9,000 individuals and 1,200 companies. New features for the digital ruble, including payments via QR code, will be tested. Full-scale implementation is expected by late 2025. According to officials, demand for the digital ruble is growing, with successful integration anticipated due to ongoing sanctions. … Read more

Central Bank of Brazil Reveals New Use Cases to Be Tested in Its Drex CBDC Second Pilot Phase

The Central Bank of Brazil disclosed a new set of use cases that will be part of the second phase of the ongoing pilot of its drex CBDC. Among the 13 instances selected from the 46 presented are platforms for tokenizing real estate, liquidity pools for trading public securities, and even automating automobile transactions. Central … Read more

Central Bank of Brazil Hints at a Future Integration of AI Into Its CBDC

The Central Bank of Brazil has hinted at implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and data monetization processes into Drex, its central bank digital currency (CBDC). In a recent presentation, Roberto Campos Neto, the Central Bank of Brazil’s president, stressed that the bank’s innovation agenda had four blocks: Pix, Drex, Currency Internationalization, and Open Finance. However, he … Read more

India’s HDFC Bank Launches New UPI and CBDC Features

HDFC Bank, a leading private sector bank in India, has introduced new features for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and central bank digital currency (CBDC) to enhance digital banking for its customers. Announced at the Global Fintech Fest 2024 in Mumbai, India, these innovations, developed in partnership with fintech companies like Kreditpe, Tonetag, and Payu, aim … Read more