Kazakhstan’s digital currency in PoC stage, per Binance, National Bank joint report
The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) will be conducting central bank digital currency (CBDC) proof-of-concept (PoC) work in 2023. This is according to a report published jointly by the central bank and Binance on digital asset regulation, the digital asset industry and decentralized finance (DeFi) in Central Asia. However, it mentioned that in 2023, the NBK is planning to build several PoC scenarios of integration between the experimental Digital Tenge platform and BnB chain in 2023 to explore opportunities of DeFi and TradFi industry players’ cooperation under central bank supervision. [Read more at Binance and download the report here]
Update on Zimbabwe’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) project
The [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ’s)] CBDC Project continued to progress steadily in line with the envisaged CBDC Road Map. In this regard, in November 2022, the Bank rolled out a consumer survey that intends to solicit opinions on the design and nature of the CBDC and its overall acceptance/acceptability by stakeholders. As at January 23, 2023, the survey had received 2,286 responses. [Read more at the RBZ]
Tornado Cash and Blockchain Privacy: A Primer for Economists and Policymakers
The St. Louis Fed published an article that explores non-custodial crypto asset mixers such as Tornado Cash. It analyzes what types of mixers exist and how they work, and discusses opportunities and risks and offer an approach, based on voluntary disclosure, that would allow financial market regulators to combat money laundering and illicit activities, while allowing honest users to interact with privacy-enhancing protocols. The article explains how crypto asset mixers play an important role on public blockchains and that privacy may be difficult to attain without them. [Read more at the St. Louis Fed]
Euro stablecoin launched in Finland, claims to be first approved in the EU
Finland-based Membrane Finance has released a fully-reserved stablecoin backed by the euro. The company is licensed by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (Fin-FSA) and claims that the new ”EUROe” coin is “the first and only … crypto stablecoin.regulated by an EU-based financial authority. [Read more at Membrane]
Accounting for Digital Currencies
A Research in International Business and Finance paper has found that current accounting standards do not precisely cover the treatment of digital currencies. It identifies a need for an accounting standard to provide guidance on the identification, classification, measurement, and presentation of digital currencies, but in the interim, existing standards can be amended to incorporate them to avoid inconsistent global accounting approaches. [Read the paper here]
Upcoming conferences, webinars and speaking engagements:
- I’ll be moderating a panel on “what happens when the lights go out…different schemes for offline functionality” at the in-person Digital Currency Conference (DCC) in Mexico City on May 18. [Register 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.
The Sovereign Official Digital Association (SODA) is a technology-agnostic firm offering advisory services at the intersection of central banking, digital finance and the web3 industry, aiming to make public digital money a reality. SODA believes institutions in the existing financial ecosystem should have access to the tools and resources they need to move from discussion to action. SODA offers ‘real life’ use cases to help test digital money and drive adoption as central banks and other public institutions explore the future of a more financially inclusive world powered by interoperable blockchain-based networks. SODA would love you to join us on this journey – please get in touch (chris@sodapublicmoney.org).
Satoshi Capital Advisors is a New York-based, global advisory firm that works with central banks, governments, and the private sector to architect, implement, and operate varying initiatives. Satoshi Capital Advisors’ central bank work revolves around CBDC architecture and implementation, providing advisory services from research phase through to growth phase. Utilizing a product-market fit and technology agnostic approach to CBDC architecture and implementation enables Satoshi Capital Advisors to build tailored solutions, bespoke to local financial system nuances. Satoshi Capital Advisors welcomes requests from central bank officials for virtual and in-person CBDC workshops. [Click here for more information]
WhisperCash offers the first fully offline digital currency platform that has the same properties as physical cash. It can perform secure consecutive offline payments without compromising on security, privacy or accessibility. WhisperCash allows direct person to person offline payments without any server infrastructure or internet connectivity. It comes in various form factors including the self-contained credit card-sized “Pro” that sports an eInk screen and capacitive keyboard, and lasts for two weeks between recharges assuming a few transactions per day. [Click here for more information]
