Episode 9: Will central bank digital currencies enable anonymous payments?

Most of the central banks around the world consider issuing a CBDC mainly as a consequence of the declining use of cash as a means of payment and to position themselves against increased competition from novel forms of private sector-issued money such as cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. In most jurisdictions, CBDC design requirements and design principles are currently being analyzed and discussed. A consultation by the European Central Bank (ECB) revealed that privacy seems to be the most important requirement for a CBDC for European citizens. Privacy of transaction data is important for ensuring the security of the data and fair pricing, and avoiding data exploitation, amongst others. Therefore, a high degree of data privacy while complying with regulations such as anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism seems to be desirable for a CBDC.