China’s digital yuan has been used in the domestic futures market for the first time, with Dalian Commodity Exchange completing a storage fee payment supported by Bank of Communications and Bank of China.
The Federal Reserve insists its Fednow instant payment service is neither a digital currency nor a step toward eliminating cash. Yet critics and lawmakers remain concerned it could pave the way for a U.S. CBDC, fueling ongoing debate.
The Reserve Bank of India says its CBDC work is centered on cross-border payments, financial inclusion, and risk mitigation, while ongoing pilots linked to UPI are testing domestic and international use cases alongside privacy and settlement concerns.
Brazil's central bank announced that Phase 3 of the Drex CBDC pilot will temporarily abandon blockchain to focus on tokenized collateral. Meanwhile, Latam stocks ETF surged over 45% YTD, and the government plans stricter crypto compliance rules to target organized crime.
Warnings that cryptocurrencies are not legal tender often create the impression that they are illegal. In reality, such notices usually clarify risk, liability, and payment status rather than impose an outright legal ban.
Roberto Campos Neto, president of Brazil's central bank, unveiled the 'Open Finance' concept for the digital real CBDC, featuring a super app that integrates PIX payments and stablecoins, positioning the currency as a bridge to decentralized finance.
Mastercard's APAC co-president says the company is open to central bank-issued digital currencies, but not decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Pilot programs in Singapore and Japan allow some clients to cash out Bitcoin onto cards, but Mastercard has no price exposure.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed President Trump's opposition to a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and his support for a $600 de minimis tax exemption on everyday crypto transactions, aiming to make the US the global crypto capital.
