Canada scales back CBDC as Thailand debut surprises The Bank of Canada has spent years on intensive research and is now pivoting to the next stage of aiming at more comprehensive work in terms of policy development around payment systems. While this puts an end to the digital Canadian dollar, it leaves the door open for possible reconsideration in the future.

What Led to the Shift?

The move to pull back the development of retail CBDCs follows seven years in the quest. It first looked at a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in the form of a digital Canadian dollar, with plans to overhaul payment systems within Canada. However, the central bank has discovered that matters like real-time payment systems and broader payment infrastructure need to be tackled more immediately. The bank noted in a public statement that the digital asset research had been “incredibly valuable” but also that other payment problems have “risen to the top of the technology stack”, and so resources are going to be allocated accordingly.

This move reflects similar global trends as many other countries explore the function of CBDCs in their own financial systems. Canada is far from alone in pulling back on retail CBDC initiatives. Australia Australia, too, cited financial stability reasons and also noted that existing payment facilities were working fine.

Privacy and Public Consultation Concerns

Public feedback One of the considerations that impact the Bank of Canada’s decision is public feedback. Almost 90,000 Canadians raised privacy issues in a consultation on a digital currency that might have been introduced as early as 2023. At first, the central bank was keen to counter cash’s diminishing role in the economy, but privacy concerns seem to have been one of its reasons for refocusing on a smaller retail CBDC project.

While this retail CBDC project has been put on ice, it does not mean that the Bank of Canada is taking its eyes off the wider world of digital currencies. The bank said it will monitor developments in other countries and could revisit its decision if there is a change in public demand or policy requirement.

What’s Next for Canada’s Payments Landscape?

Exiting the retail CBDC track, Canada continues to focus on strengthening its payment systems. Initiatives such as the Real-Time Rail are taking root. Its goal was to increase the speed and efficiency of cross-border payments, thus adding more accessibility for Canadians. By 2025, the Retail Payment Activities Act is also expected to be enforced — a law that will bring more than 2,500 of the smallest payment service providers under tighter regulatory requirements.

In any case, the central bank says it will be pivoting to concentrate instead on maintaining the safety and functionality of this country’s payment systems — not necessarily on creating its own digitally issued tender. A wholesale CBDC for use among financial institutions is still possible, but there are no current plans to reintroduce a retail one.

The Final Words

The retail CBDC vision for Canada is dead — at least for now — but perhaps the digital Canadian dollar has not breathed its last. The Bank of Canada is ready to jump back in should Canadians demand it or global trends turn more definitively to digital cash, staff say. Meanwhile, the work to strengthen the broader payments ecosystem in Canada will provide us with an infrastructure that will keep us as a leading player in financial innovation.

For Canada, this pivot is a notable shift that has the country contemplating its ability to maintain monetary sovereignty while also keeping a healthy and efficient payments ecosystem.

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