Travellers in China Can Now Top-Up Digital Yuan Wallets with Visa and Mastercard

Travellers in China Can Now Top-Up Digital Yuan Wallets with Visa and Mastercard

China has enhanced its digital renminbi services to further elevate its digital currency’s stature and simplify transactions for foreign visitors. Given the prevalence of mobile payments in China, these advancements are set to provide foreign users with a more seamless experience during their stay, experts suggest. They anticipate additional initiatives to push forward the digital […]

CBDCs: A New Chapter in Global Banking

CBDCs: A New Chapter in Global Banking

Source: Ripple The emergence of blockchain technology, coupled with real-world use cases and the dramatic free fall in global cash usage have led to a surge in CBDC research and development today.  Nine out of ten central banks are actively exploring CBDCs, and Juniper Research predicts CBDC payments will reach $213 billion by 2030. This boom is […]

Digital Tenge: NBK’s Latest Updates on Kazakhstan’s CBDC Project | September 2023

Digital Tenge: NBK's Latest Updates on Kazakhstan's CBDC Project | September 2023

Since 2021, the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NBK) has been spearheading the “Digital Tenge” (DT) initiative. After collaborating closely with various stakeholders including financial market entities, expert groups, and international financial institutions, the NBK wrapped up a crucial study in 2022 to assess the necessity of introducing DT. Following the release of […]

Project Sela: Israel and Hong Kong Finalise Retail CBDC Test Focusing on Privacy and Inclusivity

Project Sela: Israel and Hong Kong Finalise Retail CBDC Test Focusing on Privacy and Inclusivity

Israel and Hong Kong have recently finalised their retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot project, Project Sela, highlighting the significant emphasis placed on privacy and inclusivity. During the pilot project, both nations collaborated to explore the practical implications of a CBDC in the retail sector. They utilised Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to investigate various […]

Swift Advances in Interconnecting Central Bank Digital Currencies with Latest Testing Phase

Swift Advances in Interconnecting Central Bank Digital Currencies with Latest Testing Phase

Swift, the global financial messaging service, is steering ahead in its mission to bolster the interoperability of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) by launching a groundbreaking beta solution, currently under evaluation by three central banks. Additionally, over 30 financial entities have engaged in exploring the extensive applications of this solution through a newly introduced sandbox. […]

BIS: Stablecoins vs. Tokenized Deposits – Implications for the Uniqueness of Currency

BIS: Stablecoins vs. Tokenized Deposits - Implications for the Uniqueness of Currency

The modern monetary system rests upon a fundamental concept known as the “uniqueness of currency.” This principle ensures that monetary transactions are not subject to fluctuating exchange rates between various forms of money, whether they are privately issued (e.g., deposits) or publicly issued (e.g., cash). The uniqueness of currency establishes an unequivocal unit of account […]

Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlements with Solana and Partners Worldpay and Nuvei

Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlements with Solana and Partners Worldpay and Nuvei

Visa is taking significant steps to modernise cross-border money transfers, with plans to expand its stablecoin settlement capabilities to the Solana blockchain. The company is collaborating with merchant acquirers Worldpay and Nuvei to facilitate this development. Visa has already initiated live pilots with issuers and acquirers, effectively moving millions of USDC (USD Coin) between its […]

IDEMIA, Airtel, and Nokia Collaborate for Offline CBDC Payments on Feature Phones

IDEMIA, Airtel, and Nokia Collaborate for Offline CBDC Payments on Feature Phones

IDEMIA, in partnership with Airtel Payments Bank and Nokia’s parent company, HMD Global, has unveiled an initiative to introduce an offline Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) payment application for feature phones in India. This collaboration aims to enhance the reach of offline CBDC payments, making it more accessible and convenient for users across the country. […]