Turkey will commence piloting a formerly undisclosed digital currency in the second 50 % of 2021, the country’s main central banker, Naci Ağbal, informed members of parliament Friday.
“There is an R&D project initiated on digital funds. At the moment the conceptual stage of this venture has been completed. We goal to commence pilot tests in the second half of 2021.”
Ağbal’s surprise comments put Turkey on the quick monitor to a central lender electronic currency (CBDC). Turkey seldom discloses any digital currency ambitions the Financial institution for Global Settlements (BIS), identified in financial circles as the “bank for central banks,” does not even file Turkey as owning an energetic CBDC venture in its functioning database.