The US President issued executive order banning the establishment of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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The US President issued executive order banning the establishment of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)

Posted 25 Jan 2025

2 min read

The Order prohibits issuance, circulation, & use of US CBDC, also known as ‘Digital Dollar’, within the jurisdiction of USA.

About CBDC

  • Definition: CBDC is the electronic version of the nation’s sovereign currency and is issued by respective country's central bank.
    • Unlike cryptocurrencies which is decentralised in nature.
  • Types of CBDC
    • Wholesale CBDCs: Used by financial institutions & market participants for large-scale transactions, such as interbank transfers, securities settlements etc. 
    • Retail CBDCs: Used by retail consumers, public & business for making daily transactions. These are of 2 types:
      • Token-based: Accessed using private & public keys, allowing for anonymous transactions.
      • Account-based: Requires digital identification for users to access & use their accounts.   
  • Features of CBDC
    • Must be accepted as a medium of payment, legal tender, and a safe store of value by all citizens, enterprises, and government agencies.
    • Convenience of use: Expected to lower the cost of issuance of money and transactions
    • Difference with existing money: It is the liability of the central bank (RBI), and not of a commercial bank.

Issues with CBDCs: Threatens financial system stability; compromises individual privacy & protection, cyber security challenges etc. 

CBDC initiative in India - RBI’s e-Rupee (e₹)

  • Genesis: Launched in 2022 by the Reserve Bank of India.
  • Type: it is a digital version of the Indian rupee and is exchangeable one-to-one with the fiat currency.
  • e₹ can be held and transacted through e₹ wallets offered by banks and non-banks for person-to-person  payments or person-to-merchant transactions.
  • Tags :
  • CBDC
  • e-Rupee
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