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The European Central Bank (ECB) announced a two-track plan aimed at developing a payment system that would facilitate transactions in central bank money using digital ledger technology.
This initiative is designed to support the settlement of foreign exchange and other international financial transactions.
The ECB’s strategy includes the creation of a settlement platform that leverages central bank money and devises a long-term approach for its use in digital ledger-based transactions. The plan’s objective is to bolster the European market for digital assets, ensuring innovation is embraced without compromising safety and stability.
Piero Cipollone, an ECB Executive Board member in charge of the project, emphasized the ECB’s commitment to enhancing the efficiency of European financial markets through innovation.
Cipollone stated, "This is an important contribution to enhancing European financial market efficiency through innovation. Our approach will pay due attention to the Eurosystem’s goal of achieving a more harmonised and integrated European financial ecosystem."
The move to establish a digital asset-friendly infrastructure within Europe aligns with the region’s history of exploring central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilots, particularly for cross-border transactions. The ECB has previously recognized the importance of digital asset payment systems, including the digital euro, to compete with dollar-backed stablecoins.
Despite this forward-looking initiative, the ECB has maintained a cautious stance towards cryptocurrencies. ECB President Christine Lagarde has previously dismissed the idea of adopting bitcoin as a treasury asset, citing concerns over its volatility and potential use in money laundering activities.
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