The Rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): Implications for the Future of Money

CBDCs or Central Bank Digital Currencies are tokenized forms of fiat currencies issued by governments.  According to the IMF, CBDCs have conceptually existed for 30 years since the Bank of Finland launched its Avant smart card in 1993. Though this system was dropped by the turn of the century, it’s still widely considered the first CBDC. Blockchain’s rising popularity has led to a resurgence of the concept, with over 100 countries researching CBDCs. A handful of countries have announced pilot programs, and some have even launched CBDCs for public use. From increased capital efficiency to greater financial inclusivity, CBDCs could