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Cold hard (digital) cash: the economics of central bank digital currency

Author

Listed:
  • Ahnert, Toni
  • Assenmacher, Katrin
  • Hoffmann, Peter
  • Leonello, Agnese
  • Monnet, Cyril
  • Porcellacchia, Davide

Abstract

Central banks around the world are exploring the case for central bank digital currency (CBDC) – essentially a digital version of cash. In this article, we provide an overview of the economics of CBDC (Ahnert et al., 2022a). First, we outline the economic forces that shape the rise of digital money and motivate the current debate. We then look at the implications for monetary policy and financial stability before discussing policy issues and challenges. Finally, we highlight several areas where our understanding of digital money could be improved by further research. JEL Classification: E41, E42, E51, E52, E58, G21

Suggested Citation

  • Ahnert, Toni & Assenmacher, Katrin & Hoffmann, Peter & Leonello, Agnese & Monnet, Cyril & Porcellacchia, Davide, 2022. "Cold hard (digital) cash: the economics of central bank digital currency," Research Bulletin, European Central Bank, vol. 100.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbrbu:2022:0100:
    Note: 2721763
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Andolfatto, 2021. "Assessing the Impact of Central Bank Digital Currency on Private Banks," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(634), pages 525-540.
    2. Jean-Charles Rochet & Jean Tirole, 2003. "Platform Competition in Two-Sided Markets," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 1(4), pages 990-1029, June.
    3. David Neumark & Steven A. Sharpe, 1992. "Market Structure and the Nature of Price Rigidity: Evidence from the Market for Consumer Deposits," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 657-680.
    4. Brunnermeier, Markus K. & Niepelt, Dirk, 2019. "On the equivalence of private and public money," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 27-41.
    5. Ahnert, Toni & Assenmacher, Katrin & Hoffmann, Peter & Leonello, Agnese & Monnet, Cyril & Porcellacchia, Davide, 2022. "The economics of central bank digital currency," Working Paper Series 2713, European Central Bank.
    6. Rodney J. Garratt & Maarten R. C. van Oordt, 2021. "Privacy as a Public Good: A Case for Electronic Cash," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(7), pages 2157-2180.
    7. Michael D. Bordo & Andrew T. Levin, 2017. "Central Bank Digital Currency and the Future of Monetary Policy," NBER Working Papers 23711, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Caccia, Enea & Tapking, Jens & Vlassopoulos, Thomas, 2024. "Central bank digital currency and monetary policy implementation," Occasional Paper Series 345, European Central Bank.
    2. Philippe Bacchetta & Elena Perazzi, 2021. "CBDC as Imperfect Substitute for Bank Deposits: A Macroeconomic Perspective," Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper Series 21-81, Swiss Finance Institute.
    3. Meller, Barbara & Soons, Oscar, 2023. "Know your (holding) limits: CBDC, financial stability and central bank reliance," Occasional Paper Series 326, European Central Bank.
    4. Christopher J. Gust & Kyungmin Kim & Romina Ruprecht, 2023. "The Effects of CBDC on the Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2023-068, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    5. Saroj Bhattarai & Mohammad Davoodalhosseini & Zhenning Zhao, 2024. "Central Bank Digital Currency and Transmission of Monetary Policy," Staff Working Papers 24-27, Bank of Canada.
    6. Bidder, Rhys & Jackson, Timothy P. & Rottner, Matthias, 2024. "CBDC and banks: Disintermediating fast and slow," Discussion Papers 15/2024, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    7. Ahnert, Toni & Hoffmann, Peter & Leonello, Agnese & Porcellacchia, Davide, 2023. "Central Bank Digital Currency and financial stability," Working Paper Series 2783, European Central Bank.
    8. Carletti, Elena & Leonello, Agnese & Marquez, Robert, 2024. "Market power in banking," Working Paper Series 2886, European Central Bank.
    9. Rhys Bidder & Timothy Jackson & Matthias Rottner, 2024. "CBDC and Banks: Disintermediating Fast and Slow," Working Papers 202407, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Central Bank Digital Currency; Digital Money; Financial Stability; Monetary Policy; Payments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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