International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva says central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) can replace cash. She has urged the public sector to “keep preparing to deploy CBDCs and related payment platforms,” emphasizing that these platforms “should be designed from the start to facilitate cross-border payments, including with CBDCs.” IMF Chief Encourages CBDC Adoption […]
Bank of Korea and BIS Prepare Wholesale CBDC Pilot
The Bank of Korea and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) have announced a new pilot that will test the functionality of a Korean wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC), which will serve as a tool for banks to settle interbank transactions and issue CBDC-backed digital currencies that can be fractionally backed depending on the […]
23 Countries Apply for BRICS Membership as Leaders Prepare to Convene at Summit
South Africa, the host of the BRICS summit this year, has published a list of 23 countries that have applied to become members of the economic bloc. Moreover, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited 67 leaders and 20 representatives of major organizations to the BRICS summit. French President Emmanuel Macron, however, is not invited. […]
Bitcoin, Ethereum Technical Analysis: BTC Consolidates, as Markets Prepare for 25-Basis-Point Fed Rate Hike
Bitcoin consolidated marginally above the $ 29,000 level on Wednesday, ahead of today’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. It is widely expected that the Fed will increase rates by 25 basis points, after holding off on hiking last month. Ethereum also remained mostly unchanged. Bitcoin Bitcoin started today’s session largely unchanged, as traders …