France’s central bank began to experiment with central bank digital currency (CBDC) applications and use cases this spring.
As previously reported, the Banque du France is specifically testing a so-called digital euro in the context of clearing and settlement of tokenized assets. And at the time, the central bank stressed that such experiments were just that — trials, nothing more.
New comments from a senior Banque du France official indicate that the institution is looking past the horizon, however, as the Eurosystem moves closer to the potential approval of a digital euro. ECB chief Christine Lagarde has spoken on numerous occasions, and an up-or-down decision is expected as early as January.
On December 10, Denis Beau, first deputy governor of the French central bank, spoke about financial technology innovation, during which he touched on the ongoing CBDC experiments. In remarks, he stressed the trial’s expansive nature and its potential to rewrite the current regulatory framework.
