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ECB official proposes unified European ledger for digital assets

European Central Bank executive board member Piero Cipollone would like to see a sort of European union for digital assets.

A European Central Bank (ECB) official has introduced the idea of a “European ledger” — a continental unified ledger. Such a blockchain could bring European digital assets and money together in one place, leading to greater efficiency and synergy. 

ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone said Europe’s traditional capital markets are fragmented and have unharmonized legislation to overcome, but there is a chance to create a unified platform for digital assets. He called that platform a digital capital markets union.

According to Cipollone, more than 60% of banks in the European Union are exploring or experimenting with distributed ledger technology (DLT), and another 22% already use it. But while DLT provides an opportunity to create financial integration, it does not guarantee it, Cipollone said at a symposium hosted by the German central bank. On the contrary:

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Swift to Pilot Digital Asset and Currency Transactions in 2025

Swift to Pilot Digital Asset and Currency Transactions in 2025Swift will begin live trials for digital asset and currency transactions in 2025, engaging banks across North America, Europe, and Asia in a major step toward real-world applications. By leveraging its existing network, Swift aims to merge digital and traditional assets, addressing the challenges of disconnected platforms. The trials build on successful blockchain experiments, seeking […]

US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

Banks to join SWIFT digital asset trials in 2025

SWIFT said it is uniquely positioned to interlink the fragmented digital asset landscape with its forthcoming digital currency trials in 2025.

Banks in North America, Europe and Asia are preparing to participate in trials involving digital assets by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).

SWIFT announced on Oct. 3 that it will begin digital asset trials on its network in 2025. The trials will involve experiments with transactions that include multiple digital currencies and assets.

Source: SWIFT

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US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

Bitcoin Eyes a Positive Finish to September, Setting the Stage for ‘Uptober’

Bitcoin Eyes a Positive Finish to September, Setting the Stage for ‘Uptober’With two days remaining in September, bitcoin’s monthly gain stands at 11.11%, setting the stage for the widely anticipated ‘Uptober.’ Historically, October has been a strong month for bitcoin, delivering positive returns 81.82% of the time since 2013. ‘Uptober’ on the Horizon: Bitcoin Looks to Buck September’s Bearish History As of Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, […]

US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

Hong Kong CBDC Pilot Enters Phase 2 With New Firms to Advance Digital Currency Use Cases

Hong Kong CBDC Pilot Enters Phase 2 With New Firms to Advance Digital Currency Use CasesThe Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has moved into Phase 2 of its e-HKD pilot program, expanding its exploration into tokenized deposits and e-HKD. With 11 groups of firms selected, the initiative delves into practical applications such as offline payments and asset settlement. The creation of an industry forum aims to solve potential challenges while […]

US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

Hong Kong’s e-HKD project expands into tokenization, programmability

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is looking at a potential CBDC from a wide perspective.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has launched the second phase of the digital Hong Kong dollar (e-HKD) pilot study with 21 financial institutions working on 11 use cases for the central bank digital currency and tokenized deposits. In light of the broadening scope of the project, the HKMA is renaming it Project e-HKD+.

The new phase of the project will have its own sandbox and last about a year.

Project e-HKD+ will focus on three themes: settlement of tokenized assets, programmability and offline payments. Many of the use cases are highly generalized and several of them do not reference the e-HKD at all. For example:

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US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

IMF staff propose REDI framework to catalyze CBDC adoption

IMF staff members have introduced a high-level four-stage framework emphasizing regulation, education, design and incentives to enhance CBDC adoption.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff members have issued a guide for policymakers and banking institutions on ways to increase the uptake of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) globally.

The IMF issued the “Central Bank Digital Currency Adoption Inclusive Strategies for Intermediaries and Users” paper on Sept. 21. The paper recommended implementing inclusive strategies for intermediaries and end-users. It introduced a high-level framework for regulation, education, design and deployment and incentives (REDI) to help spur CBDC adoption. 

According to the IMF staff members, successful CBDC adoption will require proactive strategic policy and design choices that benefit end-users and intermediaries. Therefore, they urged central banks to focus on stakeholder engagement.

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US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

Bettors on Polymarket See 69% Chance of Trump Launching a Token Before Election

Bettors on Polymarket See 69% Chance of Trump Launching a Token Before ElectionTwo days ago, former President Donald Trump made headlines by announcing his family’s decentralized finance (defi) platform, World Liberty Financial, boldly claiming the initiative is “embracing the future with crypto.” Meanwhile, over on Polymarket, a blockchain-powered predictions platform, a new bet has emerged. People are now speculating on the chances of Trump launching a cryptocurrency […]

US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

In-Depth Study Reveals Stablecoins as Pivotal Players in Global Finance

In-Depth Study Reveals Stablecoins as Pivotal Players in Global FinanceAs digital economies evolve, stablecoins emerge not just as mere facilitators for crypto trading but as pivotal tools in global financial systems. A comprehensive report by Castle Island Ventures and Brevan Howard Digital, sponsored by Visa, unveils the profound impact of stablecoins on monetary dynamics worldwide. Transforming Global Finance: The Rising Influence of Stablecoins According […]

US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets

North Carolina resists the CBDC tide with new payments ban

A new law in North Carolina seeks to ban CBDCs in the state, but there are questions about whether the new legislation is even legal. 

Privacy and sovereignty concerns over central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) mean that a digital dollar won’t be coming to the US state of North Carolina anytime soon.

On Sept. 9, the state’s Senate overrode the governor’s veto and passed into law a bill that forbids the state from accepting CBDCs as a form of payment.

The bill also prohibits the United States Federal Reserve from conducting any “testing” of a digital dollar in North Carolina.

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US Bitcoin ETFs see historic outflows as brutal sell-off shakes crypto markets