Tag: CBDC

Resist The Creeping Madness Of Central Bank Digital Currencies Now!

Have your say on the imposition of Central Bank Digital Currencies, via a petition, open to the 21st December 2022 on the Government Website. More than 7,666 have already signed.

https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4638

As Australian citizens we should be concerned about the disadvantages of a Central Bank Digital Currency. Traceability: In the case where physical cash is eliminated entirely this eliminates our ability to transact in a fully anonymous manner. Negative Rates: With CBDCs, you cannot withdraw your digital tokens and hold them under the mattress. If there is no option for physical cash this gives central banks ability to implement negative interest rates. Programmability: CBDCs give central banks a unique opportunity to make money “programmable”. For example: Expiration, with a direct relationship with your central bank, CBDCs could permit a currency expiration policy. Your money could be programmed so that if you don’t spend the $5000 in your account by next Saturday, it will expire. Personalised monetary policy: With a bank of Big Data on individual spending habits, coupled with digital identification infrastructure, the central bank will have enough information to tailor its monetary policy personally. For example if it is known that lower earners have a higher propensity to consume, stimulus can be directly delivered to those people. Personalised monetary policy could even become politicised. A government could segment its voters, identify communities where it is behind in polls, and deliver stimulus to these groups.
Petition Request

We therefore ask the House to enshrine the use of cash in law.

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

DFA Live Q&A HD Replay CBDC Vs Crypto: Who Wins? With Adam Stokes

This is an edited version of a live discussion about the current FTX debacle, the trajectory of Crypto, and the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies. Is the future one of “harder, faster safer money”?

https://www.youtube.com/c/AdamStokes24

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
DFA Live Q&A HD Replay CBDC Vs Crypto: Who Wins? With Adam Stokes
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The Digital Currency Battle… [Podcast]

As I discussed in a recent post Australia is starting to look at a Central Bank Digital Currency programme, with a focus on retail customers. The design parameters and business case are yet to emerge, and I hope there will be considerable consultation around privacy, free choice and the continued used of cash. Around the work, work on CBDC’s are progressing.

China’s e-CNY, or digital yuan, project is essentially ready to go, with the country going slow to ensure mass adoption is effectively in place before the launch, on which it has placed a lot of prestige.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has been an enthusiastic supporter of a digital euro, calling it “the holy grail” of cross-border payments. “To ensure financial stability in this digital age, it is crucial that we all still have easy access to central bank money, which is the foundation of our currency,” ECB President Christine Lagarde, said in July. “The digital euro can achieve that.” The ECB’s crypto front man Fabio Panetta said in May that a digital euro could launch within four years.

India and Russia are planning CBDC launches sooner than that, with India saying a CBDC could launch as soon as 2023. Almost all the G20 members are working on a CBDC to some degree. Sweden, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Brazil are all fairly advanced, while Africa’s largest country, Nigeria, launched its eNaira CBDC almost a year ago. Both South Africa and Ghana have live pilots up and running.

And more than a few governments have been clear that challenging the dollar’s hegemony is a goal, with the ECB’s Lagarde saying a “digital euro would also help to avoid market dominance.” So you could argue that Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) have reached a critical mass, and enough major economies are challenging the greenback’s status as the world’s reserve currency (and all the power that comes with it) to shift the debate to matters of national prestige. Which then takes us to the US, where things are also getting started.

To that end, I want to discuss remarks made by Fed Governor Michelle Bowman where she suggested that she believes the FedNow real-time payments system will make a digital dollar unnecessary. But, perhaps the arguments that the U.S. will need a CBDC to defend the dollar’s place as the world’s reserve currency are winning, for reasons that have nothing to do with an actual need for a digital dollar or real-time payments. The financial superpower can’t afford to be left behind.

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
The Digital Currency Battle... [Podcast]
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The Digital Currency Battle…

As I discussed in a recent post Australia is starting to look at a Central Bank Digital Currency programme, with a focus on retail customers. The design parameters and business case are yet to emerge, and I hope there will be considerable consultation around privacy, free choice and the continued used of cash.

Around the work, work on CBDC’s are progressing. China’s e-CNY, or digital yuan, project is essentially ready to go, with the country going slow to ensure mass adoption is effectively in place before the launch, on which it has placed a lot of prestige.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has been an enthusiastic supporter of a digital euro, calling it “the holy grail” of cross-border payments. “To ensure financial stability in this digital age, it is crucial that we all still have easy access to central bank money, which is the foundation of our currency,” ECB President Christine Lagarde, said in July. “The digital euro can achieve that.” The ECB’s crypto front man Fabio Panetta said in May that a digital euro could launch within four years.

India and Russia are planning CBDC launches sooner than that, with India saying a CBDC could launch as soon as 2023. Almost all the G20 members are working on a CBDC to some degree. Sweden, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Brazil are all fairly advanced, while Africa’s largest country, Nigeria, launched its eNaira CBDC almost a year ago. Both South Africa and Ghana have live pilots up and running.

And more than a few governments have been clear that challenging the dollar’s hegemony is a goal, with the ECB’s Lagarde saying a “digital euro would also help to avoid market dominance.” So you could argue that Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) have reached a critical mass, and enough major economies are challenging the greenback’s status as the world’s reserve currency (and all the power that comes with it) to shift the debate to matters of national prestige. Which then takes us to the US, where things are also getting started.

To that end, I want to discuss remarks made by Fed Governor Michelle Bowman where she suggested that she believes the FedNow real-time payments system will make a digital dollar unnecessary. But, perhaps the arguments that the U.S. will need a CBDC to defend the dollar’s place as the world’s reserve currency are winning, for reasons that have nothing to do with an actual need for a digital dollar or real-time payments. The financial superpower can’t afford to be left behind.

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

CBDC: Where Are They Taking Us?

If you string together recent statements from entities like the Bank For International Settlements, IMF, Federal Reserve and other non-elected entities a frightening story emerges as Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) are deployed to give Central Banks even greater powers, impose cross-border solutions (some would say a global currency) and remove more freedoms from society.

This is being talked about top-down as it were, without proper local consultation and buy-in. The future they portray is frightening.

To make the point I have pulled together material from a number of relatively difficult texts, but see the summary section in the contents section to cut to the chase.

[CONTENT]

0:00 Start
0:15 Introduction
1:25 BIS Report – Digital Money
6:25 BIS New Public Policy
8:30 IMF Future Of Money
15:00 Federal Reserve on CBDC
19:23 Literary Review on CBDC and Monetary Policy
24:50 Summary and Conclusion

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

The Hidden Hand Of Digital Control

I have been discussing the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies over the past few years, and we know that in Australia the Treasury is now actively exploring the implementation of a digital Aussie Dollar for consumer use. This mirrors efforts underway in other countries, including both the UK and USA.

Canada Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Chrystia Freeland announced the government is broadening the scope of the country’s anti-money laundering monitoring and terrorist financing laws to cover crowdfunding platforms and the payment service providers they use. “These changes cover all forms of transactions, including digital assets such as crypto currencies,” she announced during a recent press conference. To underscore the point, the Canadian government made it clear on Monday that it would target cryptocurrency alongside traditional transactions.

But consider how much easier it would be to control the access to money if it was sitting in a Central Bank Digital Currency Account. Potentially total transparency, and control.

The Canadian experience underscores for me the importance of safeguarding our financial system, and we should be aware of the grave risk which exists from those in Government and the Security Services which wants more direct control.

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Payments Shakedown On The Cards!

Whether you are a Buy Now Pay Later User, a Cryptocurrency holder, pay by cash or card, there are big changes ahead, as the RBA outlines some of its thinking.

https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2021/mr-21-30.html
https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2021/sp-gov-2021-12-09.html

We look at the implications of Central Bank Digital Currencies, and the possibility that end users will have to pay to use Buy Now Pay Later services in the future.

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

The Programmable Finance Trap! [Podcast]

We need to think ahead as to how Digital Identity, Central Bank Digital Currency and Programmable Money will interact, and ask the all-important question are we comfortable with these developments. Who is in control, and to what extent will we really be able to opt out?

CONTENTS

0:00 Start
00:15 Introduction
01:05 Should A CBDC Be Programmable?
03:55 We Already Have Directed Spending
05:09 BasicsCard and Cashless Debit Card
08:22 Tracking Transactions and Directing Payments
09:00 Digital Euro
09:45 Digital US Dollar
10:45 The Bitcoin Proxy
11:10 China CBDC Pilot and Social Score
19:10 Current Digital Identity Consultation
21:58 Current Issues
22:45 27th October Deadline
23:00 Summary and Conclusions

As I reported earlier in the week a Senate inquiry has recommended that Treasury should lead a policy review of the viability of a retail central bank digital currency in Australia. This is something the Reserve Bank of Australia has been reluctant to entertain given it could increase the likelihood of a run on commercial bank deposits in a crisis. In fact, the RBA has been focussing on Commercial orientated CBDC pilots. But the Senate committee has asked Treasury to study the case for creating a retail ‘central bank digital currency’ to compete with private currencies being created by tech companies.

But what are we really getting into here? Well, back in June The Bank of England called on ministers to decide whether a central bank digital currency should be “programmable”, ultimately giving the issuer control over how it is spent by the recipient.

I suspect many will be totally unaware of Australian Digital Identity Programme and the current inquiry which is running. You have until 27th October to make a submission.

But my point is, say the Government gave you an account at the Reserve Bank, for digital currency, but to access it you needed a Digital ID, and the funds were programmable. Not only would spending be tracked, but certain types of transactions could be encouraged or restricted. Combined the Governments tentacles of control would be extended, and our liberties further eroded.

My worry is that we may be heading for an Aldous Huxley’s, Brave New World which will be controlled by the central planners. Even as we speak, the components are being strung together. So time to have your say.

https://www.digitalidentity.gov.au/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
The Programmable Finance Trap! [Podcast]
Loading
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The Programmable Finance Trap!

We need to think ahead as to how Digital Identity, Central Bank Digital Currency and Programmable Money will interact, and ask the all-important question are we comfortable with these developments. Who is in control, and to what extent will we really be able to opt out?

CONTENTS

0:00 Start
00:15 Introduction
01:05 Should A CBDC Be Programmable?
03:55 We Already Have Directed Spending
05:09 BasicsCard and Cashless Debit Card
08:22 Tracking Transactions and Directing Payments
09:00 Digital Euro
09:45 Digital US Dollar
10:45 The Bitcoin Proxy
11:10 China CBDC Pilot and Social Score
19:10 Current Digital Identity Consultation
21:58 Current Issues
22:45 27th October Deadline
23:00 Summary and Conclusions

As I reported earlier in the week a Senate inquiry has recommended that Treasury should lead a policy review of the viability of a retail central bank digital currency in Australia. This is something the Reserve Bank of Australia has been reluctant to entertain given it could increase the likelihood of a run on commercial bank deposits in a crisis. In fact, the RBA has been focussing on Commercial orientated CBDC pilots. But the Senate committee has asked Treasury to study the case for creating a retail ‘central bank digital currency’ to compete with private currencies being created by tech companies.

But what are we really getting into here? Well, back in June The Bank of England called on ministers to decide whether a central bank digital currency should be “programmable”, ultimately giving the issuer control over how it is spent by the recipient.

I suspect many will be totally unaware of Australian Digital Identity Programme and the current inquiry which is running. You have until 27th October to make a submission.

But my point is, say the Government gave you an account at the Reserve Bank, for digital currency, but to access it you needed a Digital ID, and the funds were programmable. Not only would spending be tracked, but certain types of transactions could be encouraged or restricted. Combined the Governments tentacles of control would be extended, and our liberties further eroded.

My worry is that we may be heading for an Aldous Huxley’s, Brave New World which will be controlled by the central planners. Even as we speak, the components are being strung together. So time to have your say.

https://www.digitalidentity.gov.au/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/