July was a bumper month for central bank digital currencies with at least seven central banks receiving press coverage. The Japanese, Jamaicans, Philippines and Cambodians updated on advances in thinking linked to their own exploratory programmes. The Chinese and French provided progress updates, whether that be the creation of consortia to explore the technology, as in the case of the French, or the establishment of pilot schemes, as in the case of the Chinese. Whilst the United Kingdom continued “Looking at the question of, should we create a Bank of England digital currency” following the closure of their own consultation period at the end of June.
These announcements follow the successful webinar held in late June convened by the authors Haydn Jones and Dr. Maria Grazia Vigliotti, of “The Executive Guide to Blockchain”, a hugely successful publication launched earlier this year which, amongst others, covers the topic of central bank digital currencies. Chaired by the BBC’s Joe Lynam, and
joined by Dave Birch, the panel debated the dawn of this new type of central bank money, and its impact on the economy, the banking system, and most importantly, the general public. If you missed the webinar, it is available here www.
Since it’s launch in February, the book continues to sell well, with strong global sales, and remains a must-read for those interested in this technology, and in particular its relevance to central bank digital currencies.
