Towards CBDCs in Asia and the Pacific: Results of a Regional Survey
The IMF published a Fintech Note that, drawing on survey responses from 34 Asian economies and country case studies, takes stock of recent developments related to central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and crypto-assets in Asia. The survey finds that there is significant heterogeneity in terms of stage of development, but the emergence of private crypto assets has created an impetus to consider CBDCs. While most countries are engaged in research and development, with some at advanced stages of testing and pilots, very few countries are likely to issue CBDCs in the near-to-medium term, reflecting the still considerable uncertainties. Still, country experiences so far provide some key insights for others in their journey in this area. [Download at the IMF]
Importantly for my CBDC tracking, the IMF report confirmed that Laos, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tonga are conducting CBDS feasibility studies with Soramitsu, a Japan-based private-sector technology platform provider. Here are the specifics:
- On October 4, 2021, Soramitsu was selected by the Japan International Cooperation Agency to explore with the Bank of the Lao PDR the potential contribution of CBDC to the inclusive development of the financial system of the Laos People’s Democratic Republic. [Read more at Soramitsu]
- On January 10, 2022 Soramitsu was selected by the NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting to evaluate the potential risks and benefits of introducing CBDC in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. [Read more at Soramitsu]
Banks’ Crypto Asset Holdings May Be Just 0.01% of Total Risk Exposure, Basel Study Finds
The world’s largest banks are exposed to about 9.4 billion euros of crypto-assets, a study by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) found. The exposure, mainly client services involving bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH), represents 0.14% of the total exposure to risk from the 19 banks who sent in data. Exposures are distributed unevenly across reporting banks, with two banks making up 53% of overall crypto-asset exposures, and four more making up 39% of the remaining exposures. [Read more at the BIS]
The Digital Euro Association [DEA] published a blog on a CBDC design trilemma. The “Blockchain Trilemma”, is a term used to describe the challenge of increasing performance, security, and decentralization at the same time. Current enterprise blockchains are not truly decentralised. They may be structurally decentralised, but are operationally centralised. By reversing this, having structurally centralised, but operationally decentralised architecture, a CBDC can achieve a high-performance blockchain. However, any blockchain-based CBDC should not only solve the blockchain trilemma, but also the CBDC design trilemma, which notes that identity, privacy, and programmability cannot be easily enhanced at the same time. A CBDC cannot ignore privacy for the sake of achieving legal compliance and implementing programmable money. From an expertise point of view, the answer to this trilemma is the use of a decentralized identity system such as self-sovereign identity (SSID) to find the perfect equilibrium for the CBDC design trilemma. Self-sovereign identity is very popular for its advanced privacy protection. By having an SSID-based blockchain system, a CBDC can incorporate both privacy and transparency into the blockchain-based CBDC system. Additionally, a use of zero-knowledge encryption to protect the transaction privacy of blockchain data is highly recommended for any CBDC implementation. [Read more at the DEA]
Tickets available for CBDC Think Tank masterclass
The CBDC Think Tank, in partnership with the IMF and George Washington University, is hosting a full-day in-person CBDC Masterclass on October 12 in Washington DC for “official sector” staff and academics active in the CBDC / digital currency space only. The sessions are designed as instructional deep dives with full presentations and Q&A components. Tickets are $99. [Register here]
Also, the CBDC Think Tank, in partnership with Georgetown University and the DC FinTech Week, is hosting a FREE (also in-person) 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.
