Electronic Money And Its Implications On Central Banks

This paper marks the launch of a new IMF series, Fintech Notes. Building on years of IMF staff work, it will explore pressing topics in the digital economy and be issued periodically. The series will carry work by IMF staff and will seek to provide insight into the intersection of technology and the global economy. The Rise of Digital Money analyses how technology companies are stepping up competition to large banks and credit card companies. Digital forms of money are increasingly in the wallets of consumers as well as in the minds of policymakers. Cash and bank deposits are battling with so-called e-money, electronically stored monetary value denominated in, and pegged to, a currency like the euro or the dollar. This paper identifies the benefits and risks and highlights regulatory issues that are likely to emerge with a broader adoption of stablecoins. The paper also highlights the risks associated with e-money: potential creation of new monopolies; threats to weaker currencies; concerns about consumer protection and financial stability; and the risk of fostering illegal activities, among others.

This paper analyzes the legal foundations of central bank digital currency (CBDC) under central bank and monetary law. Absent strong legal foundations, the issuance of CBDC poses legal, financial and reputational risks for central banks. While the appropriate design of the legal framework will up to a degree depend on the design features of the CBDC, some general conclusions can be made. First, most central bank laws do not currently authorize the issuance of CBDC to the general public. Second, from a monetary law perspective, it is not evident that “currency” status can be attributed to CBDC. While the central bank law issue can be solved through rather straithforward law reform, the monetary law issue poses fundmental legal policy challenges.

Master's Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject Economics - Finance, grade: 1,0, Copenhagen Business School, language: English, abstract: Inspired by the recent publication of various Central Banks that study the issuance of their own versions of digital currencies, this paper aims at identifying the implications of such a central bank issued digital currency on monetary policy, financial stability and non-bank private sector, central bank and commercial bank balance sheet. It does so by conducting a scenario analysis, where each scenario specifies a distinct form of how a central bank issued digital currency could be introduced and how the resulting implications on the spheres of interest might change as a consequence. The results of this scenario analysis propose that in either implementation mode a CBDC generally provides a positive effect on both financial stability and monetary policy. The degree of the advantageous effect is, however, not only dependent on the implementation scenario, but also on the behaviour of the central banks, the commercial banks and the general public. In terms of balance sheets, this paper identified major changes. The results and implications that have been derived are based on literature, an expert interview and previous research conducted by other central banks and notable scholars. Based on the implications stemming from the four investigated scenarios, this paper evaluates these implications from a perspective of the New Currency School and Banking School. All in all, since this paper sees a central bank backed digital currency as a potential catalyst for a substantial change of the current monetary system, it provides scenarios and theories that challenge the status quo.

We study the optimal design of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in an environment where agents sort into cash, CBDC and bank deposits according to their preferences over anonymity and security; and where network effects make the convenience of payment instruments dependent on the number of their users. CBDC can be designed with attributes similar to cash or deposits, and can be interest-bearing: a CBDC that closely competes with deposits depresses bank credit and output, while a cash-like CBDC may lead to the disappearance of cash. Then, the optimal CBDC design trades off bank intermediation against the social value of maintaining diverse payment instruments. When network effects matter, an interest-bearing CBDC alleviates the central bank's tradeoff.

This book offers a deeper understanding of digitisation and innovative technologies in the financial sector. It focuses on a digital version of sovereignly created money that is accessible to the broad public. This central bank digital currency (CBDC) raises several questions. Will CBDC lead to public surveillance of the citizens? What is digital money in the legal sense? And what is the difference to already existing forms of digital money? This book addresses main questions associated with central bank digital currency by providing background information as well as in-depth analyses. The book introduces a basic understanding of innovative technologies such as the distributed ledger technology. It shows how a system of money can be created and what roles each participant has. Taking an economic point of view, the book demonstrates the monetary policy in the euro area and examines how a digital version of public money could affect the transmission mechanism as well as the financial stability. Could CBDC lead to a "digital bank run"? Could it replace the established financial intermediaries such as banks? What would that mean to the economy? Mainly, the book focuses on the legal issues of CBDC. Which is the competent institution for establishing digital public money? Will digital money change the way of how we handle financial data? Also, the book examines the legal usability of CBDC in the economy. How can digital money based on innovative technologies be transferred in accordance with the law? Can a debtor of a monetary claim flee into the digital currency? This book addresses the public and private sector participants as well as the legislators on how to handle CBDC. Most important, the book addresses everyone interested in digitisation and innovative financial technology who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the next big evolvement of money.

The level and trend in cash use in a country will influence the demand for central bank digital currency (CBDC). While access to digital currency will be more convenient than traveling to an ATM, it only makes CBDC like a bank debit card—not better. Demand for digital currency will thus be weak in countries where cash use is already very low, due to a preference for cash substitutes (cards, electronic money, mobile phone payments). Where cash use is very high, demand should be stronger, due to a lack of cash substitutes. As the demand for CBDC is tied to the current level of cash use, we estimate the level and trend in cash use for 11 countries using four different measures. A tentative forecast of cash use is also made. After showing that declining cash use is largely associated with demographic change, we tie the level of cash use to the likely demand for CBDC in different countries. In this process, we suggest that one measure of cash use is more useful than the others. If cash is important for monetary policy, payment instrument competition, or as an alternative payment instrument in the event of operational problems with privately supplied payment methods, the introduction of CBDC may best be introduced before cash substitutes become so ubiquitous that the viability of CBDC could be in doubt.

Central Bank Digital Currencies and Global Financial System: Theory and Practice is the perfect book for anyone interested in the impact of digital currencies on the global financial system, providing valuable insights and analysis on the topic. The topic of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) is particularly relevant in 2023 because the use of digital currencies is rapidly growing around the world, and many central banks are exploring the idea of developing their own CBDCs. This book offers readers an opportunity to gain a better understanding of CBDCs, including their history, differences with cryptocurrencies, and the potential impact of CBDCs on the future of the financial system. The book’s didactic approach breaks down complex topics into easily digestible chapters, allowing readers to easily understand and follow the progression of digital currencies. For those interested in the future of digital currencies, the book offers a chapter on future research directions and concluding remarks. Central Bank Digital Currencies and Global Financial System: Theory and Practice is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of finance and technology. By exploring the evolution of digital currencies and their impact on the global financial system, this book provides valuable insights for policymakers, financial professionals, and anyone looking to understand the future of money.

This book provides a thorough introduction and historical overview of the principles and practices of digital currency and fintech in Asia. It covers the theory of central bank digital currency and examines regulatory aspects, economic digitalization, financial inclusion, and the role of SMEs. Selected case studies offer in-depth insights into recent fintech developments in major economies, including Australia; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the People's Republic of China; the Republic of Korea; and Thailand. The book also makes a valuable supplement for introductory courses on finance, governance, and economics, as it appeals to a broad range of readers, including university students, academics, finance practitioners, and policy makers.