The head of Mastercard’s blockchain and digital assets for the APAC region told CNBC that CBDCs are unnecessary since consumers are already comfortable with fiat currency. Ashok Venkateshwaran, speaking on the fringes of the Singapore FinTech festival on Wednesday, said that adoption is the most challenging aspect of the industry.
Binur Zhalenov, head of the National Payment Corporation (NPC), has brought the “digital tenge” into the retail sector of Kazakhstan, marking a major step forward for the nation’s finance landscape. Zhalenov made the first purchase using a debit card connected to a CBDC account while speaking at the XI Congress
Bank of America (BAC) stated in a research on Monday that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are on the horizon, but will not occur in the near future. The report found that 33% of the world’s central banks, representing 67% of nations and 98% of global GDP, are actively investigating
Following the lead of other countries, South Korea has decided to launch a trial program of CBDC. Plans to investigate the CBDC’s technological foundation were recently announced by the Bank of Korea (BOK), the Financial Services Commission (FSC), and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Notably, the FSC and the FSS
As China updates the smartphone app powering its CBDC trial, visitors to the People’s Republic of China may now preload their digital yuan wallets using Visa and Mastercard payment methods. The e-CNY app, currently under beta testing, may be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store
A measure to prevent efforts to establish a CBDC in the United States has been approved by a House committee. Concerns about impeding development and U.S. competitiveness in the international financial sector were at the forefront of the arguments that the contentious decision sparked on Capitol Hill. The committee, which
Swift, a global member-owned cooperative renowned for its secure financial messaging services, is making significant strides in its quest for Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) interoperability. In a notable development, Swift revealed on September 13 that three central banks are currently beta-testing its innovative CBDC connector solution. Simultaneously, 30 financial
In an effort to test the viability of a CBDC, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Hong Kong Centre, and the Bank of Israel (BOI), have collaborated. Project Sela is an effort to build a robust, decentralized, reliable CBDC (rCBDC) ecosystem that puts privacy
Yes Bank recently stated that the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI), the digital rupee, will have improved usage. This will be made possible by the bank’s integration of digital rupee with UPI. Customers of Yes Bank may now use their smartphones to pay for goods and services using the digital
Jio Financial Services (JFS), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, is taking a technologically-driven approach in expanding its product offerings by exploring blockchain-based platforms and CBDC. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and MD of RIL, highlighted JFS’s strategic orientation during the company’s annual general meeting. Ambani said JFS wants to become a
