Categories: Market Overview

ECB must prepare to issue a digital euro

The European Central Bank should prepare to issue a digital euro to complement banknotes “if and when” it becomes necessary, ECB board member Fabio Panetta said on Friday. Major central banks around the world are studying digital versions of their currencies to address demand for electronic means of payment and fend off competition from private tokens such as Bitcoin and Facebook FB.O’s proposed Libra.

In a study published on Friday, the ECB said a digital euro could help where citizens have abandoned cash, foreign forms of electronic money have taken over, or other means of payments have become unavailable. “We should be ready to issue a digital euro if and when developments around us make it necessary,” Panetta said in a blog post accompanying the study. “This means that we already need to be preparing for it.”

The ECB gave itself until the middle of next year to decide whether to go forward with the project, which is now open for public consultation. Like banknotes, digital euros would give holders a direct claim on the central bank, making them safer than any deposit at a commercial bank. In addition, they could be transferred directly between users, whether online or in person via Bluetooth or pre-paid cards, rather than going through the banking system.

A main concern is that this form of money might displace traditional deposits, hollowing out commercial banks, particularly at times of financial crisis, and crowding out private solutions. In the study, the ECB said deposits in digital euros would probably be capped and subject at least in part to the ECB’s interest rate on deposits, currently minus 0.5%.

Sweden’s Riksbank has been testing its e-krona for months and the People’s Bank of China is also running a trial on a ride-hailing platform. But cash use is still prevalent in Germany and other euro zone countries, meaning a prospective central bank digital currency may have less appeal in the euro zone.

The U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England have all struck a cautious tone regarding the possible introduction of digital currencies by central banks. Following intense regulatory backlash, Facebook scaled back its Libra plans. It will now be linked to individual national currencies, rather than a basket of them, and overseen by global watchdogs.

ECB must prepare to issue a digital euro, Panetta says, Reuters, Oct 2

The FxPro News Team

This team of professional journalists announces the most interesting and influential articles from the major financial media as a brief summary. All such news may have sufficient potential to affect the course of trading assets.

Share
Published by
The FxPro News Team

Recent Posts

US indices: has the bullish trend broken?

The recent declines in US indices may have broken the bullish trend, indicated by technical…

34 mins ago

Dollar: Slowing Momentum, Same Direction

The dollar has paused its strengthening, as weaker-than-expected inflation data reduces fear of future Fed…

5 hours ago

Bitcoin Fell Back to Local Support

Bitcoin finds support near the 50-day moving average, but further declines in the stock market…

6 hours ago

EURCHF Wave Analysis 20 December 2024

- EURCHF falling inside minor impulse wave 5 - Likely to fall to support level…

3 days ago

USDCHF Wave Analysis 20 December 2024

- USDCHF reversed from resistance zone - Likely to fall to support level 0.8860 USDCHF…

3 days ago

The US dollar ends the year on a strong note

The US dollar is at two-year highs. Factors such as changes in the Fed's monetary…

3 days ago

This website uses cookies