Cross-border payments do not appear to be a priority as countries all over the world to engage with their own digital currency projects, a new report says. While global governments are competing to become the first country in the world to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC), no CBDC project really focuses on cross-border payments, according to a new study released by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). No ongoing global CBDC projects explicitly focus on cross-border payments The BIS’ new CBDC revelation is part of the bank’s quarterly review, the “International banking and financial market developments,” issued on …

NSX Limited, the operator of the National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSXA), is working on a joint blockchain-based project to enable same-day settlements. According to a Feb. 20 announcement, NSX has partnered with iSignthis (ISX), a publicly listed firm specializing in payment authentication services, to establish a new venture that would provide “multicurrency, real-time and same day clearing of share trades across multiple exchanges.” CHESS system will meet new competitor, DESS Dubbed ClearPay, the new venture will develop a delivery versus payment (DvP) platform that is designed to replace the existing system of clearing and settlement process offered by current …

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has appointed heads at the BIS Innovation Hub’s centers in Singapore and Switzerland. In a Feb. 19 announcement, the BIS revealed that Andrew McCormack — who currently serves as chief information officer at payment clearing and settlement firm Payments Canada — will now be the head of the BIS Innovation Hub Centre in Singapore. At the same time, Morten Bech, Head of Secretariat for the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) at BIS, will manage the Hub Centre in Switzerland. Fostering cross-border cooperation on fintech McCormack gained experience in policy and strategy with …

The recent survey results published by the Bank of International Settlements produced bullish and bearish sentiments with regard to Central Bank Digital Currency adoption. While banks in Emerging Market Economies (EME) are moving more rapidly toward issuing government-sponsored CBDCs, those in established countries appear to be taking a more cautious stance on the transition from fiat currencies to digital. The irony here is that the banks that could potentially catapult the world into the digital currency age are the ones that are the least likely to be the early adopters. What’s driving — or not driving — their reluctance to …

A new survey from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) revealed that only 10% of central banks are likely to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) for the general public in the short term. According to a report the BIS shared with Cointelegraph on Jan. 23, the bank surveyed 66 central banks from around the world to investigate their eagerness to develop and issue a CBDC. Out of them, respondents represented 21 advanced economies and 45 emerging market economies (EMEs), thus covering 75% of the world’s population and 90% of its economic output. EMEs vs. advanced economies results The …

The central banks of Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, European Union, Sweden and Switzerland created a group with the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to jointly research central bank digital currencies (CBDC). According to a press release published by the Bank of England on Jan. 21, the aforementioned institutions will share their experience with other group members as they study potential use cases for CBDCs in their respective jurisdictions. The announcement states: “The group will assess CBDC use cases; economic, functional and technical design choices, including cross-border interoperability; and the sharing of knowledge on emerging technologies. It will closely coordinate …

General manager at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Agustin Carstens seems to have changed his negative stance towards central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), now stating that such currencies could open up new possibilities. In his speech entitled “The future of money and the payment system: what role for central banks?” published on Dec. 5, Carstens dug into central banks’ approach to emerging technologies in regards to building more efficient and inclusive financial systems. Wholesale and retail CBDCs Carstens said that the introduction of retail CBDCs — which are available to the general public, including businesses and consumers — could …

A former European Central Bank board member will chair a new arm of the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) focusing on digital currencies and financial innovation. In a press release on Nov. 11, the BIS confirmed Benoît Cœuré would begin chairing the Innovation Hub from January 15, 2020. BIS eyes impact of “critical trends” “The Hub's mandate is to identify, and develop in-depth insights into critical trends in technology affecting central banking; develop public goods in the technology space geared towards improving the functioning of the global financial system; and serve as a focal point for a network of central …

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) and Bank for International Settlements (BIS) have signed an agreement to cooperate on the BIS Innovation Hub Centre in Switzerland. Two major projects According to a news release on Oct. 8, the BIS’s first three innovation hubs will be established in Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Swiss center will initially focus on two research projects — integration of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) into a distributed ledger technology infrastructure, and analysis of the rising requirements for tracking fast-paced electronic markets by central banks. The first project will be conducted as part of a collaboration …

Chile’s central bank governor, Mario Marcel, says central bank digital currencies (CBDC) can provide additional flexibility at a time of “unconventional monetary policies.” Marcel made the comments in a speech titled “High-level Policy Panel Discussion on Central Bank Digital Currencies" at the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum held in Paris on Sept. 12. Disruptive FinTech addressing “some gaps” in traditional finance Marcel’s opening remarks acknowledged that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are already showing disruptive potential and provide some benefits over the legacy system. He said: “Disruptive technologies in Finance or ‘FinTech’ are transforming the financial industry landscape, challenging traditional business models. …

Officials from the European Central Bank (ECB) and 25 global central banks will meet with Libra to assess the financial stability risks of the project. Central bank forum to challenge Libra On Sept. 16, Libra representatives will meet with the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructure (CPMI), a part of the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), in Switzerland, the Financial Times reports on Sept. 14. The CPMI, a BIS international standard setter and a member of the Financial Stability Board, consists of 28 member banks, including the Bank of England, Deutsche Bundesbank and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. …

The head of the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) has appeared to U-turn on issuing digital currencies after a fresh interview with the Financial Times on June 30. Speaking to the publication, BIS chief Augustin Carstens actively endorsed the creation and issuance of digital versions of national fiat currencies. “Many central banks are working on it; we are working on it, supporting them,” he said. “And it might be that it is sooner than we think that there is a market and we need to be able to provide central bank digital currencies.” The comments struck a curious note with …