Banco Do Brasil, a bank owned in its majority by the Brazilian state, and Giesecke+Devrient, are partnering to explore the possibilities of bringing offline payments to the future Brazilian CBDC, Drex. The joint initiative will include this functionality in Drex’s pilot, to extend access to financial services to Brazilians with difficult or no access to […]
Central Bank of the Philippines to Complete Wholesale CBDC Pilot This Year, Hints at Securities Focused Use Case
The Central Bank of the Philippines revealed that it aims to conclude the ongoing wholesale CBDC pilot, Project Agila, later this year. The pilot, which currently includes the participation of six local financial institutions, might be the gate for democratizing access to securities according to Deputy Governor for Payments and Currency Management Sector Mamerto Tangonan. […]
Nigerian Central Bank, Real-World Asset Firm Partner to Revive Struggling CBDC
Gluwa, a platform for real-world assets, announced on March 7 its partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria. The partnership arrangement aims to improve the functionality of the Nigerian central bank’s digital currency and promote financial innovation through blockchain technology. Improving the CBDC’s Utility Gluwa, a real-world assets platform, has entered into a partnership arrangement […]
Hong Kong Launches Project Ensemble, a Wholesale CBDC and Tokenized Deposits Initiative
The government of Hong Kong has announced Project Ensemble, an initiative that will test the functionality of a wholesale central bank digital currency (WCBDC) and the movement of tokenized deposits. If there is “sufficient interest” in the project, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) will conduct a live issuance of the WCBDC in the future. […]
Fed Chair Powell Eases CBDC Concerns: US Far From Direct Fed Accounts, Emphasizes Need for Congressional Approval
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell engaged with the Senate Banking Committee, signaling that the U.S. is just beginning to contemplate the introduction of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). Powell Assures No Direct Fed Accounts in CBDC Plans, Seeks Congressional Go-Ahead In his conversation with the Senate Banking Committee, Fed Chair Jerome Powell explored the […]