CBUAE launches Central Bank Digital Currency Strategy

CBUAE launches Central Bank Digital Currency Strategy

Abu Dhabi: The Central Bank of UAE launched the CBUAE Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Strategy, one of the nine initiatives of the CBUAE’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme, it said on Thursday. The CBUAE has engaged with G42 Cloud and R3 as the infrastructure and technology providers respectively for its CBDC implementation. CBDC is a risk-free form of digital money issued and guaranteed by the central bank and serves as a secure, cost-effective and efficient form of payment and a store of value. As part of the UAE's digital transformation, CBDC will address the challenges of domestic and cross-border payments, enhance financial inclusion and the move towards a cashless society. “CBDC is one of the initiatives as part of the CBUAE’s FIT programme, which will further position and solidify the UAE as a leading global financial hub,” said Khaled Mohamed Balama, the Governor of the CBUAE. “The lauch of our CBDC strategy marks a key step in the evolution of money and payments in the country.” “CBDC will accelerate our digitalisation journey and promote financial inclusion,” he added. The first phase of the strategy, which is expected to complete over the next 12 to 15 months, comprises three major