A public consultation by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has revealed that 75% of New Zealanders do not consider a central bank digital currency (CBDC) to be important. The consultation, which received 18,000 responses, also found that 90% of respondents believe the government would use a CBDC to monitor citizens. Similar surveys in other developed economies have also found that citizens are not in favor of a digital currency. Privacy was cited as the top concern for New Zealanders, with many respondents valuing a digital currency that is free from government control. In other news, Kasikornbank (KBank), one of Thailand's largest banks, has launched a cross-border payments solution using blockchain technology. The project, in partnership with blockchain startup StraitsX, will initially be limited to the Singapore-Thailand corridor and uses the Singapore dollar-pegged stablecoin XSGD for transactions.



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