FedNow is a better alternative to a CBDC, Federal Reserve governor says

Many of the challenges that Fedcoin fans say the central bank digital currency (CBDC) will solve will be addressed by the upcoming FedNow payment service, according to US Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman. “FedNow will… allow consumers and businesses to make payments conveniently, in real time, on any day, and with immediate availability of funds for receivers. Our assessment of these benefits has not changed even as we consider whether a CBDC might fit into the future U.S. money and payments landscape… Completing and implementing FedNow is a high priority, and we expect it to be available by mid-2023.” [Read more at the Federal Reserve]

No Negative Rates, Less Need for Cash: Euros Return to the ECB

Demand for euro banknotes dwindled after the European Central Bank concluded an eight-year experiment with negative interest rates, suggesting households, businesses and banks are dissolving cash piles created to circumvent deposit charges. Banknotes in circulation started falling in the week through July 22, when policy makers raised rates. Since then, notes worth 16.8 billion euros ($17.1 billion) have left the system — the biggest drop since early 2020. [Read more at Bloomberg]

Minutes of the July 2022 Bank of England CBDC Engagement Forum

A Member of the Forum presented on potential business models for Payment Interface Providers (PIPs) in a CBDC ecosystem. The presentation set out that PIPs would likely undertake activities suggested in the Bank’s 2020 Discussion Paper on CBDC such as onboarding clients, conducting KYC (Know Your Costumer) and AML (Anti Money Laundering) checks, authenticating users and providing consumer protection and overlay services, among others. The presentation then laid out a set of costs that such a PIP would likely incur in offering those services. A second Member presented a view on how the private sector could collaborate with policymakers to deliver on some of the G7 Principles on CBDC (published in October 2021). [Read more at the Bank of England]

Discounted tickets available for CBDC Think Tank masterclass

The CBDC Think Tank, in partnership with the International Monetary Fund and George Washington University, is hosting a full-day in-person CBDC Masterclass on October 12 in Washington DC. The sessions are designed as instructional deep dives with full presentations and Q&A components.  Ticket prices are as low as $199 and you can save 30% by entering KIFFMEISTER where the registration page asks for a discount code. [Register here]

Also, the CBDC Think Tank, in partnership with Georgetown University and the DC FinTech Week, is hosting a FREE Digital Currency Lecture Series, a set of digital currency lightning talks delivered by subject matter experts, on October 14 in Washington DC. [Request an invite here]

Kiffmeister’s Global Central Bank Digital Currency Monthly Monitor

Just a reminder that I produce a monthly digest of central bank digital currency (CBDC) developments exclusively for the official sector. So for any of you out there who work for a central bank, ministry of finance or international financial institution who would like to receive it by email on the first business day of every month, please DM me on LinkedIn or email me at chronicles@kiffmeister.com.