CBDC: Digital cash for everyone, anywhere, anytime
Everyone should have access to convenient and secure digital payments. It should be a given that they are inclusive and resilient. Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) provide a public way to pay and store money digitally. We are here to build your national CBDC solution – one that supports all players in the payment industry.
As digital forms of payment continue to grow in number and popularity, we believe that there is a need for a government-backed digital currency that is safe, secure, and trusted. A retail CBDC is a digital version of physical cash. Issued by a central bank, it is pegged to a local currency and made available to everyone, everywhere. It has the same characteristics as cash – plus the added benefit of being digital. That means it can be used for payments in stores and online, and can be easily sent to friends and family. But beyond that – and equally important – CBDC fosters digital financial inclusion and serves as a bedrock for further innovation. We concluded that there is no existing technological solution that meets the fundamental core requirements of a CBDC. This is why G+D developed its own unique and innovative retail CBDC solution G+D Filia®.
Fundamental core requirements of a CBDC
Anonymous yet transparent
In order to be widely accepted by users and to prevent illegal payment activity, CBDC must balance anonymity with transparency. Mechanisms that prevent untaxed economies and financial crime in the physical world – none of which reduce the value of cash or restrict citizens’ freedom to make transactions – must be transferred into the digital world. And, unlike current digital payments, CBDC would not involve disclosing personal data to third parties.
Inclusive, universally accepted, and accessible
As legal tender, CBDC must be accepted by all merchants and enterprises within a country. At the same time, individuals must be able to access it without needing expensive or complicated devices. Payments must always be possible – even offline or without power supply. These are the key factors required to build trust and acceptance of CBDC among the general public.
Maximum security
Certain critical infrastructures, such as public payment, are of such vital importance to societal structure and the national economy that their failure would result in significant disruption to public security. Protecting CBDC from cyberattacks and other threats is just as important as upholding banknote security.
Our offering to make CBDC a reality
Developing a CBDC solution is a complex undertaking, and securely implementing it even more so. Our deep understanding of financial systems combined with expertise in building highly secure digital infrastructures and digital payment know-how provides a sound basis for creating a secure CBDC solution.
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Financial inclusion across borders with retail CBDC
Number and value of non-commercial remittances across borders is growing as more and more migrant workers send money to friends and family back home. Cross-border payments suffer from a long list of inefficiencies and come with high fees. Cross-border retail CBDCs could positively impact this situation, making the process for sending money home quicker, cheaper, and more secure.
Consumer attitudes to CBDC
The report includes a survey conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of OMFIF and G+D which provides an invaluable insight into consumers’ attitudes towards a legal digital means of payment. It was conducted in four countries – Germany, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the US – with over 3,000 respondents. Findings help offer a map for policy-makers as they consider design of retail central bank digital currencies.
Proof points of our expertise
G+D wins Global CBDC Challenge
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has declared Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) as one of the three winners of the Global Central Bank Digital Currency Challenge (Global CBDC Challenge). The judges awarded G+D’s solution Filia® for being a means of payment that can be universally used and is truly inclusive, enabling participation in the digital economy even without a smartphone or a bank account. The announcement took place at the Singapore FinTech Festival.
More insights into CBDC
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