Georgia Prepares to Launch Digital Lari Pilot in First Half of 2023

The central bank of Georgia intends to publish a document detailing the concept of a national digital currency in the coming months. Other participating parties will use it to finalize their proposals for the pilot which the monetary authority plans to…

Report: Nigeria to Stop Cash Withdrawals From Government Accounts

From the start of March, Nigerian public officials will be barred from withdrawing cash from government bank accounts, the head of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit reportedly said. Public officials that want to be exempted from this new regulation will have…

US Lawmakers Say Any Digital Dollar Must Be Open, Permissionless, and Private

Nine U.S. lawmakers have raised concerns regarding the U.S. central bank digital currency project led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The lawmakers stressed: “Any U.S. CBDC must be open, permissionless, and private.” Congressmen Say Any US CBDC Must Be…

RBI Begins First Retail Digital Rupee Pilot in 13 Indian Cities With 8 Banks

India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is launching its first retail digital rupee pilot on Dec. 1 with the participation of eight banks. The pilot will start in four cities and then expand to cover nine more cities…

Queen Maxima of Netherlands Sees Multiple Benefits of Digital Euro

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands has outlined multiple benefits central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) could bring, particularly in the area of financial inclusion. “Governments could use a digital euro to channel financial support to low-income households. This would deepen longer-term inclusion,…

Hong Kong Presents Digital Currency Prototype, Project Aurum

Financial authorities in Hong Kong have unveiled a prototype of the Chinese autonomous territory’s own central bank digital currency called Project Aurum. The two-tier platform features a wholesale interbank and a retail e-wallet system, participants revealed. Hong Kong to Issue Retail…

China to Expand Digital Yuan Testing in Pilot Cities to Provincial Level

China’s central bank intends to enlarge the area covered by trials of its digital yuan currency in four regions of the country. A top representative of the monetary authority announced the move while highlighting that the People’s Bank has been stepping…

ECB Chooses Amazon and 4 Other Companies to Help Develop Digital Euro

The European Central Bank (ECB) has selected five companies to help develop user interfaces for a digital euro. Each company will work with the ECB and focus on one specific use case of the digital euro. Amazon has been chosen to…

Ripple to Participate in the Digital Dollar Project’s CBDC Sandbox Program

The non-profit organization promoting the creation of the digital dollar, the Digital Dollar Project, has announced the launch of a sandbox program to kickstart the probe of the technical implementations of the envisaged digital currency. The fintech firm Ripple is among…

Ghana Central Bank Announces Launch of Regulatory Sandbox

Ghana’s recently launched regulatory and innovation sandbox is the latest proof of the central bank’s commitment to a regulatory environment that promotes “innovation, financial inclusion and financial stability,” a statement released by the Bank of Ghana has said. According to the…