CBDCs

The debate on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) was triggered by the emergence of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin on the one hand, which may compete with traditional central bank money, and the trend towards the disappearance of cash in some countries on the other hand.

CBDCs are Central Bank-issued instruments that combine cryptography and DLTs to achieve four possible goals: improve interbank settlement, digitize cash to improve efficiency in payments, develop a new monetary policy tool to overcome zero-bound interest rates and increase surveillance and reduce financial system instability.