Andras Crow-Hreidar 
Digital finance continues advancing, as cryptocurrencies move towards becoming the norm in people’s day-to-day lives. A survey states 130 nations display 98% of the global economy that are examining digital versions of their currencies – a technological structure known as Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).
As the global financial system displays upward tendencies more and more towards CBDCs, an interesting landscape is developing of countries experimenting with digital currency.
Global Financial System Moves to the Digital Era
Leading economies globally; G20 nations with the exception of Argentina comprise the front runners in this development. The front runners consist of eleven countries consisting of Caribbean nations along with Nigeria which have proactively launched their digital currencies.
The manner by which this development has taken place is clear enough since China inaugurated pilot tests concerning its CBDC encompasing 260 milion people in 200 diverse scenarios widely ranging from e-commerce to government stimulus payments.
Two other notable emerging economies , India and Brazil , plan to launch their digital curencies in 2024. Similarly proactive, the European Central Bank is laying the groundwork for its digital euro pilot , potentialy launching in 2028.
In 2023 alone, more than 20 countries will make significant progress towards their CBDC pilots.
While the US is progresing towards a wholesale digital dollar for bank-to-bank transactions , a retail version for general public use has hit a roadblock. However , any move towards CBDCs by the US could have profound global repercusions, given the dollar’s signifcant role in the global financial system.
Factors Driving Currency Digitisation
Several elements are fueling the global thrust for CBDCs. These include the declining use of physical cash and the desire of authorities to protect their money printing powers against Bitcoin corporations and major tech companies.
Political events, such as sanctions on countries like Russia and Venezuela, are also driving this trend. This push leads even long-standing US allies to seek alternatives to current payment networks.
Sweden, a European pioneer in CBDCs, continues its progres , while the Bank of England is working on a digital pound. Concurently , Australia, Thailand, South Korea, and Russia are proceeding with pilot tests.
Yet, the journey is not without hitches. Some countries, such as Nigeria , have encountered disapointing acceptance rates after launching their CBDCs. Others , like Senegal and Ecuador, have halted development.
The New Era of CBDCs
The introduction of CBDCs brings its share of challenges. These range from potential bank runs and operational risks like cyber attacks, to the need for sophistcated regulatory frameworks that uphold privacy , consumer protection and anti-money laundering regulations.
National security implications also must be considered, as new payment systems can impact a country’s ability to track crossborder flows and enforce sanctions.
Despite these chalenges, 2023 marks a signifcant year in CBDC exploration. With a growing list of countries like Australia , Brazil, Japan, and Russia making substantial progress in their investigation of CBDCs , the future of digital curencies apears promising.
The digitisation of money seems to be here to stay , signaling a paradigm shift in the global financial system.
