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The Rise of Digital Money

Author

Listed:
  • Tobias Adrian

    (Monetary and Capital Markets Department, International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC 20431, USA)

  • Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli

    (Monetary and Capital Markets Department, International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC 20431, USA)

Abstract

Payment systems around the world are evolving with the emergence of digital money issued by private firms and central banks. We provide a conceptual framework to compare and contrast traditional forms of money with their new digital equivalents. We suggest that some forms of digital money, while less stable as a store of value, could be rapidly adopted given their advantages as a means of payment. We review the benefits and risks that would emerge. One approach to managing risks would be to require full backing of selected digital money with central bank reserves. We call the arrangement synthetic central bank digital currency (sCBDC), a private-public partnership that combines the advantages of private sector innovation and customer orientation with the safety and stability of central bank–backed money. We offer policy considerations, directions for research, and an overview of the literature to date. The analysis of digital currencies is an exciting new field crossing into monetary and financial economics that will reshape the monetary and financial systems for many years to come.

Suggested Citation

  • Tobias Adrian & Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli, 2021. "The Rise of Digital Money," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 13(1), pages 57-77, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:refeco:v:13:y:2021:p:57-77
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-financial-101620-063859
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jabbar, Abdul & Geebren, Ahmed & Hussain, Zahid & Dani, Samir & Ul-Durar, Shajara, 2023. "Investigating individual privacy within CBDC: A privacy calculus perspective," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    2. Rodríguez-Lesmes, Paul & Gutierrez, Luis H. & Urueña-Mejia, Juan Carlos & Ortiz, Andres & Medina Rojas, Ivan & Romero, Mauricio, 2023. "The role of local promoters in helping microentrepreneurs engage in digital business training. The case of Expertienda," Documentos de Trabajo 20902, Universidad del Rosario.
    3. Todd Keister & Daniel Sanches, 2023. "Should Central Banks Issue Digital Currency?," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 90(1), pages 404-431.
    4. Juan Carlos Urueña-Mejía & Luis H. Gutierrez & Paul Rodríguez-Lesmes, 2023. "Financial inclusion and business practices of microbusiness in Colombia," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 13(2), pages 465-494, June.
    5. John E. Marthinsen & Steven R. Gordon, 2024. "Synthetic Central Bank Digital Currencies and Systemic Liquidity Risks," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, February.
    6. Huosong Xia & Yangmei Gao & Justin Zuopeng Zhang, 2023. "Understanding the adoption context of China’s digital currency electronic payment," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-27, December.
    7. Arto Kovanen, 2022. "Second Thoughts About Central Bank Digital Currencies," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    8. Bhaskar, Ratikant & Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Bansal, Shashank & Pandey, Dharen Kumar, 2022. "Central Bank Digital Currencies: Agendas for future research," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    9. Sebastian Infante & Kyungmin Kim & Anna Orlik & André F. Silva & Robert J. Tetlow, 2023. "Retail Central Bank Digital Currencies: Implications for Banking and Financial Stability," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2023-072, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    10. Edward Garnett & Rachel Youssef & Daniel Hoople, 2022. "Introductory Brief (Part II): Opportunities for Deposit Insurers (DepTech)," IADI Fintech Briefs 8, International Association of Deposit Insurers.
    11. Abayomi Baiyere & Varun Grover & Kalle J. Lyytinen & Stephanie Woerner & Alok Gupta, 2023. "Digital “x”—Charting a Path for Digital-Themed Research," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(2), pages 463-486, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital currencies; stablecoins; central bank digital currencies; fintech; money;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General

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