The Fed this summer will take another step ahead in developing a digital currency

The Fed this summer will take another step ahead in developing a digital currency

The Federal Reserve is moving forward in its efforts to develop its own digital currency, announcing Thursday that it will release a research paper this summer that explores the move further. Though the central bank did not set any specific plans on the currency, Chairman Jerome Powell cited the progress of payments technology and said the Fed has been "carefully monitoring and adapting" to those innovations. "The effective functioning of our economy requires that people have faith and confidence not only in the dollar, but also in the payment networks, banks, and other payment service providers that allow money to flow on a daily basis," Powell said in a video message accompanying the announcement. "Our focus is on ensuring a safe and efficient payment system that provides broad benefits to American households and businesses while also embracing innovation," he said. Fed officials thus far have emphasized the importance of rather than participating in a race with its global peers. However, the moves of multiple countries, , in the central bank digital currency (CBDC) space has intensified talk about how aggressively the Fed should move. China's progress has stirred worries that it could undermine the dollar's position as the global reserve