Nations Investigate, Deploy Digital Iterations of National Currencies
In a dynamic shift toward the digital age, an impressive 134 nations, accounting for 98% of the world’s economic output, are actively investigating or deploying digital iterations of their national currencies, as revealed in a study published on Thursday.
This initiative of advancing their national currencies has seen significant traction, with a majority already in the midst of advanced development, pilot programs, or official launches, signaling a global pivot towards digital currency integration.
According to insights from the Atlantic Council, a U.S.-based research institute, the race to digitize currency has engulfed all G20 members, except Argentina, propelling them into advanced phases of this digital transition. However, the United States is notably trailing in this global trend, making slow progress on a “wholesale” digital dollar variant, primarily intended for banking sectors, while plans for a public version appear to be on hold. Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chairman, recently commented on the distant prospect of such a development.
The exploration of a digital dollar, initiated by U.S. President Joe Biden in 2022, has sparked contentious debate within the political arena, drawing clear lines of opposition from figures like Donald Trump. This political tug-of-war underscores the widening gap between major global financial institutions regarding the adoption of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), with China, Europe, and Japan making significant headway.
Advocates of digital currencies argue their potential to revolutionize financial transactions, offering innovative functions and posing a modern alternative to traditional cash, whose usage is diminishing. However, the adoption of digital currencies is not without controversy, sparking protests in various nations over concerns of enhanced governmental surveillance.
The reluctance of the U.S. to embrace this shift threatens to fragment the international payment landscape and could dilute its influence in the global financial domain, should other nations advance and establish new standards for CBDCs.
Globally, 36 pilot programs are actively testing digital currencies, with China’s e-CNY and the European Central Bank’s digital euro project among the most prominent. Conversely, the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union recently experienced a setback, becoming the first to discontinue its digital currency service due to technical glitches affecting digital wallet access.
In the wake of geopolitical shifts, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there has been a surge in the development of wholesale CBDCs, aimed at facilitating cross-border transactions. Currently, thirteen such projects are operational, with “mBridge” linking China, Thailand, the UAE, and Hong Kong, and plans for expansion.
The BRICS countries are notably advancing in their CBDC initiatives, with expectations of significant developments in the coming year, particularly at a summit in Russia, aiming to diversify payment mechanisms beyond the U.S. dollar.
The forthcoming years may witness a cascade of major CBDC launches, with the European Central Bank’s ongoing pilot potentially setting a precedent for other economies. China’s digital yuan remains at the forefront, already undergoing extensive trials. The timeline for its full implementation remains a topic of speculation, with estimates pointing towards a launch between 2025 and 2026.
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