Norway’s Central Bank on CBDC Progress: We’re Not Falling Behind

Norway’s central bank is on track to decide by 2025 whether to adopt a central bank digital currency (CBDC), but officials stress there’s no urgency. Despite Norway’s cashless society, with only 2% using cash, the bank is carefully studying both retail and wholesale CBDC options, emphasizing complex issues and the need for collaboration with other … Read more

Central Bank of Sweden Invites Financial Market Actors for Second Phase of E-Krona Pilot

Sveriges Riksbank, the central bank of Sweden, will carry out the next stage of its e-krona project with the help of two organizations from the financial sector. The move signals a transition from the initial in-house testing with simulated participants to cooperation with real, external partners. Riksbank to Work With Handelsbanken and Tietoevry to Test … Read more

Swedish Central Bank Releases the First Study About Its CBDC E-Krona Pilot

The Swedish central bank keeps making steps towards modeling its e-krona pilot project by issuing a detailed report of the results of phase one for the path ahead. Riksbank is still optimistic about launching its central bank digital currency (CBDC), but there are hurdles to clear out on the road. Riksbank to Spend Another Year … Read more

Central Bank Digital Currencies Take Center Stage at IMF Spring Meetings

Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) featured prominently when global financial leaders met for this year’s World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) joint Spring Meetings in the United States. Faced with emerging disruptive technologies like Bitcoin, their discussions also focused on how money and payments are taking on new forms throughout the world. There … Read more

World’s Central Bank: Crypto Could Risk Bank Runs

How many central banks are actually considering their own version of cryptocurrency is unclear, Russia and Venezuela being the most infamous examples. To perhaps ward off serious consideration from more established economies, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the world’s central bank to central bankers, is suggesting state-backed crypto might destabilize commercial banks’ customer deposits, … Read more