POSTED ON March 10, 2023
There has been a lot of talk about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) lately. Supporters tell you they will provide a safe, secure, convenient alternative to cash. But in this episode of the Friday Gold Wrap, host Mike Maharrey digs deeper and explains that CBDCs are actually about more government control. He also talks about how Jerome Powell talked and tanked the markets this week.
POSTED ON March 7, 2023
Violent protests in Nigeria reveal that getting average people to embrace central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) might be more difficult than government officials would like.
Nigerians recently took to the streets to protest a cash shortage caused by government policies adopted in order to push the country into the adoption of its central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Protesters attacked bank ATMs and blocked streets, and demonstrations turned violent in some cities.
POSTED ON February 28, 2023
There has been a lot of talk about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The powers that be sell CBDCs on the promise of convenience and security. But in reality, they are part of a broader "war on cash" and a push to give governments even more control and power over you and me. Digital currencies could allow governments to track and even control everybody's spending.
But some state legislators are pushing back against CBDCs and working to implement laws to protect people in their state from this excessive federal government control.
POSTED ON December 15, 2022
Last month, the
New York Fed launched a pilot program for a "digital dollar." Could this be the first step toward monetary totalitarianism?
POSTED ON November 23, 2022
We recently reported that the Federal Reserve plans to launch a 12-week pilot program in partnership with several large commercial banks to test the feasibility of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The US isn't alone in experimenting with digital currency. India is working on developing a digital rupee and recently announced the second phase of testing.
After successfully running a pilot program to test its digital currency at the wholesale level, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced it will test the digital rupee in a retail setting.
POSTED ON November 16, 2022
On Tuesday (Nov. 15),
the New York Federal Reserve announced a 12-week pilot program in partnership with several large commercial banks to test the feasibility of a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
The "proof of concept" program will test an "interoperable digital money platform" on a regulated liability network (RLN) for "technical feasibility, legal viability, and business applicability of distributed ledger technology,” according to a press release.
POSTED ON August 2, 2022
Yesterday, an Israeli law went into effect banning the use of cash in business transactions over 6,000 NIS ($1,700). Private cash transactions can't exceed 15,000 NIS ($4,360). This is yet another escalation in the "war on cash."
POSTED ON March 3, 2022
As economic sanctions began to put a stranglehold on the Russian economy, long lines formed at banks and ATMs as everyday people tried to pull cash from their bank accounts. A Russian economy expert from the Foreign Policy Research Institute called it "a full-fledged bank run."
POSTED ON February 23, 2022
What would you do if you went to the ATM and found that you couldn't access the money in your bank account?
Many Canadians recently suffered this unsettling experience. Customers of five major Canadian banks reported mysterious online banking outages last week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he was invoking emergency powers in response to a massive trucker protest. This gave the Canadian government the authority to freeze bank accounts.
POSTED ON January 24, 2022
Last week, the Federal Reserve released a "discussion paper" examing the pros and cons of a potential US central bank digital dollar. According to
the Federal Reserve press release, the central bank hopes to get public feedback on the idea.
"We look forward to engaging with the public, elected representatives, and a broad range of stakeholders as we examine the positives and negatives of a central bank digital currency in the United States," Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell said.
