Int'l Experiment Proposes Cross-Border Retail CBDC Run as Two Domestic Payments
- BIS' model requires FX providers to submit quotes to settle transactions.
- The cross-border retail CBDC system is to be run on bridge currencies.
The Bank for International Settlement (BIS) and its partners, the central banks of Israel, Norway and Sweden have completed a joint experiment on cross-border retail central bank digital currency (CBDC). The experiment was tagged ‘Project Icebreaker.’ Retail CBDCs are government-backed digital currencies used for payment purposes by consumers and businesses.
The experiment, which studied the potential advantages and challenges of using retail CBDCs in international payment, found that foreign exchange (FX) providers can be used to facilitate cross-border retail CBDCs by breaking down a cross-border transaction into two domestic payments.
‘The Hub-and-Spoke Model’
In a statement released on Thursday, BIS explained that it has developed a “hub-and-spoke solution” through which cross-border retail CBDCs never have to exit their systems. This system works by requiring many forex providers to submit quotes to a retail CBDC system’s hub which then selects the cheapest alternatives for end users to settle their transactions.
This model differs from most of the existing cross-border payment systems under which users or payers have no choice about the exchange rate or who provides the forex conversion, the international financial institution noted. BIS added that its new solution uses bridge currencies to fight the problems of insufficient liquidity for currency pairs, thereby preventing the attendant issues of higher fees and delay in cross-border payments.
“The project also demonstrated that the hub-and-spoke model can reduce settlement Settlement Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2 Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2 Read this Term and counterparty risk by using coordinated payments Payments One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl Read this Term in central bank money; and complete cross-border transactions within seconds,” BIS explained.
Furthermore, BIS said the new model means that countries considering the development of their domestic CBDCs can introduce these features and other innovative services into their cross-border transactions. It added that the project provides a “deeper understanding of the technologies that can be used and the technical and policy choices available.”
“Project Icebreaker is unique in its proposition. It first allows central banks to have almost full autonomy in designing a domestic retail CBDC. Then it provides a model for that same CBDC to be used for international payments,” explained Cecilia Skingsley, the Head of the BIS Innovation Hub.
US, Australia Make New Moves on CBDC
Meanwhile, the United States and Australia both recently provided new updates on their efforts towards assessing the feasibility of a CBDC. While the United States says it is planning to establish a new Treasury Department-led working group to deliberate on the possible launch of a digital dollar, the Reserve Bank of Australia unveiled 14 firms that proposed various CBDC uses cases to be tested in its limited-scale CBDC pilot that “will take place over the coming months.”
The Bank for International Settlement (BIS) and its partners, the central banks of Israel, Norway and Sweden have completed a joint experiment on cross-border retail central bank digital currency (CBDC). The experiment was tagged ‘Project Icebreaker.’ Retail CBDCs are government-backed digital currencies used for payment purposes by consumers and businesses.
The experiment, which studied the potential advantages and challenges of using retail CBDCs in international payment, found that foreign exchange (FX) providers can be used to facilitate cross-border retail CBDCs by breaking down a cross-border transaction into two domestic payments.
‘The Hub-and-Spoke Model’
In a statement released on Thursday, BIS explained that it has developed a “hub-and-spoke solution” through which cross-border retail CBDCs never have to exit their systems. This system works by requiring many forex providers to submit quotes to a retail CBDC system’s hub which then selects the cheapest alternatives for end users to settle their transactions.
This model differs from most of the existing cross-border payment systems under which users or payers have no choice about the exchange rate or who provides the forex conversion, the international financial institution noted. BIS added that its new solution uses bridge currencies to fight the problems of insufficient liquidity for currency pairs, thereby preventing the attendant issues of higher fees and delay in cross-border payments.
“The project also demonstrated that the hub-and-spoke model can reduce settlement Settlement Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2 Settlement in finance refers to the process when a buyer makes payment and receives the agreed-upon services or goods. The term is used on exchanges such as New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) when security changes hands. When the asset is transferred and placed in the new buyer's name, it is considered settled. This process could take a few hours or several days after a trade is made. It depends on the clearance process. In the United States, the settlement date for marketable stocks is usually 2 Read this Term and counterparty risk by using coordinated payments Payments One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonl Read this Term in central bank money; and complete cross-border transactions within seconds,” BIS explained.
Furthermore, BIS said the new model means that countries considering the development of their domestic CBDCs can introduce these features and other innovative services into their cross-border transactions. It added that the project provides a “deeper understanding of the technologies that can be used and the technical and policy choices available.”
“Project Icebreaker is unique in its proposition. It first allows central banks to have almost full autonomy in designing a domestic retail CBDC. Then it provides a model for that same CBDC to be used for international payments,” explained Cecilia Skingsley, the Head of the BIS Innovation Hub.
US, Australia Make New Moves on CBDC
Meanwhile, the United States and Australia both recently provided new updates on their efforts towards assessing the feasibility of a CBDC. While the United States says it is planning to establish a new Treasury Department-led working group to deliberate on the possible launch of a digital dollar, the Reserve Bank of Australia unveiled 14 firms that proposed various CBDC uses cases to be tested in its limited-scale CBDC pilot that “will take place over the coming months.”