Nigerian CBDC Adoption Lags, Makes Up Less Than 1% of Currency in Use

Nigeria’s central bank digital currency, known as the eNaira, was the first of its kind in Africa. However, it currently represents only about 0.36% of the total currency in circulation. Nigerian experts attribute the slow adoption of the e-naira to its perceived lack of significant benefits compared to the traditional naira. E-Naira Adoption Lags Despite … Read more

Philippines Plans to Introduce Wholesale CBDC by 2029

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) plans to introduce its wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) by 2029. The Philippine central bank’s CBDC initiative is near its proof-of-concept completion. “This is an innovative payment instrument,” said the BSP deputy governor. “This is an entirely new thing, and we have to make sure that we can offer … Read more

Giesecke+Devrient: Ghana CBDC Nullifies the Need for Multiple Intermediaries in Cross-Border Payments

The recently completed proof of concept by the Bank of Ghana and the Monetary Authority of Singapore demonstrated that the latter’s central bank digital currency enables cross-border payments, excluding many intermediaries and associated costs. Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) stated that the proof of concept (POC) demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing digital credentials for international trade and cross-border … Read more

China and Kazakhstan Sign CBDC Collaboration Agreement

The People’s Bank of China and the National Bank of Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to collaborate on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). This collaboration agreement, formalized during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Kazakhstan, aims to enhance CBDC research through joint initiatives and professional development. China and Kazakhstan to Collaborate on Central Bank Digital Currencies … 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

France and Hong Kong Collaborate to Advance Global Tokenization Market With CBDC Initiatives

The Banque de France (BDF) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have announced a collaboration on wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC). This partnership includes the HKMA’s involvement in Wave 2 of the European Central Bank’s Eurosystem exploratory work. The institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to innovate in wCBDC and tokenization markets, … Read more

North Carolina Governor Vetoes Bill Banning State Use of Central Bank Digital Currencies

The governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina has vetoed House Bill 690, which seeks to ban state payments using central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and the state’s participation in the Federal Reserve’s CBDC testing. The governor argued the bill was premature and emphasized the need for more funding for cybersecurity. House Bill 690 … Read more

Bahamas to Mandate Banks to Distribute Central Bank Digital Currency

The Bahamas, the first country to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) called the Sand Dollar, is preparing regulations to mandate commercial banks to provide access to the e-money to boost adoption. Central Bank Governor John Rolle indicated that these regulations would be implemented within two years. “We’ve begun to signal that to our … Read more

North Carolina Passes Bill to Block State Participation in Federal CBDC Testing

The General Assembly of the U.S. state of North Carolina has approved a bill that prevents the state from participating in the Federal Reserve’s testing of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The General Assembly is North Carolina’s legislative body, comprising two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill passed with significant … Read more

India’s Digital Rupee Usage Drops Drastically After Initial Surge

India’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital rupee, has experienced a significant decline in usage, decreasing to a tenth of its peak in December 2023, according to sources involved in the pilot project. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initially reached 1 million daily retail transactions with the digital rupee by incentivizing banks and … Read more