Central banks in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa will conduct a cross border payments trial using different central bank digital currencies (CBDC) to assess if this allows transactions to be settled more cheaply and easily, the banks said on Thursday. Many governments and central banks around the world are exploring the use of CBDCs, which are digital forms of existing currencies. Some, like China, are trialling retail-focused CBDCs designed to replicate cash in circulation, while others are considering using so-called wholesale CBDCs to improve the internal workings of their financial systems. This latest project aims to develop prototype shared platforms for cross-border transactions using multiple CBDCs, said the statement from the Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank Negara Malaysia, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the South African Reserve Bank, and the Bank of International Settlement’s Innovation Hub, which is leading the scheme. These platforms would enable financial institutions to transact directly with each other in CBDCs, which could eliminate the need for intermediaries and reduce the time and cost of transactions.
SOURCE: REUTERS
More Stories
The Latest Sign of Progress in Ethiopia’s Peace Deal
Traditional Gender Norms are the Main Barrier to Ghanaian Women Pursuing Academic Careers
Tanzania is a Beautiful and Peaceful Country, but there is a Dark Side
Nigerian Official and Wife Found Guilty for Organ-trafficking Plot
Uganda Bill Makes Provisions for the Arrest and Imprisonment of LGBTQ People
Sex in a Mogadishu City
Algerian Authorities Dismantle an International Network of Migrant Smugglers to Europe
Blinken’s Trip is the Latest in a Series of Visits to Africa by US Government Figures
Film Tells the Story of a Tragedy Perpetrated in Africa by German Colonial Troops
The Top Ten Most Ethnically Diverse Countries are all African Countries
South Africa Still a Long Way Off in Building a National Culture of Human Rights
After Lawsuits and Demonstrations Led by Chagossian Women, Britain Paid Some Compensation through the Mauritian Government to the Exiled Chagos Population