European Central Bank Advances Plans for Digital Euro

<p>The European Central Bank (ECB) has taken significant steps
toward the development of a digital version of the euro. It aims to provide
secure and free electronic payment options for the 20 nations that share the
single currency.</p><p>ECB's Two-Year Preparation Phase for Digital Euro</p><p>The ECB has announced a two-year "preparation
phase" set to commence on November 1, during which rules will be
finalized. Private-sector partners selection, testing and experimentation will
be conducted during the preparation phase.</p><p>At the end of this preparation phase, the Governing Council
will decide whether to proceed to the next stage. It will pave the way for the
potential issuance and rollout of a digital euro. </p><p>While this marks the initial stages of a multi-year project,
it positions the ECB ahead of other central banks, including those from the
Group of Seven (G7) wealthy nations, potentially serving as a blueprint for
their own initiatives.</p><p>While several Caribbean countries and Nigeria have already
launched digital currencies, China and Sweden have conducted pilot projects. In
contrast, the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Canada have
been more cautious about such endeavors.</p><blockquote><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ECB starts preparation for digital euro in multi-year project <a href="https://t.co/VeIlysQwGl">https://t.co/VeIlysQwGl</a> <a href="https://t.co/DvTl8tMhdY">pic.twitter.com/DvTl8tMhdY</a></p>— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1714674257970491756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2023</a></blockquote><p>The
Surge in Electronic Payments in the European Union</p><p>The digital euro, much like an online wallet or bank
account, will offer free use and be guaranteed by the ECB, enhancing safety.
Nevertheless, the project faces criticism from various quarters, including
bankers and regulators who fear a potential drain of deposits from the
commercial sector. Some academics, the European Union’s privacy watchdog, and
consumer groups have also voiced concerns.</p><p>Critics argue that the digital currency may facilitate bank
runs during times of crisis without substantial benefits compared to existing
accounts. The ECB contends that the digital euro will introduce competition
into the payments market, which is currently dominated by U.S. credit card
companies.</p><p>To address worries about depleting commercial banks, the ECB
intends to impose a cap on individual holdings of digital euros, likely around
3,000 euros. The International Monetary Fund recently indicated that digital
currencies should have a modest impact on monetary policy except during crises
and published a guide for central banks.</p><p>Users of the digital euro will have the capacity to make
small offline payments in digital euros to nearby counterparts, with the <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/ecb/" target="_blank" rel="follow">ECB</a>
pledging not to retain transaction-specific data. Distribution of the digital
euro will involve both the ECB and commercial banks, as well as digital wallet
providers. It will be accessible to residents of the euro area and its citizens
abroad, addressing concerns about widespread adoption in regions with weaker
local currencies.</p><p>Electronic payments in the EU have surged from 184.2
trillion euros in 2017 to 240 trillion euros in 2021, accelerated by the
<a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="follow">COVID-19</a> pandemic. A recent survey by the Bank for International Settlements
indicates that central banks representing a fifth of the global population are
likely to introduce their own digital currencies in the next three years. </p><p>This trend was initially triggered around 2019 when Facebook
announced plans for a digital currency, although they were later abandoned. The
rise of <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/stablecoins/" target="_blank" rel="follow">stablecoins</a>, crypto tokens partially backed by traditional currencies,
has given impetus to <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/cbdc/" target="_blank" rel="follow">central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)</a>.</p>

This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.