This page is for information purposes only. Certain services and features may not be available in your jurisdiction.

What is a CBDC?

OKX Learn

Published on Dec 06, 2022

Updated on Apr 25, 2024

2 min read

A digital currency created by a central bank that is loosely inspired by Bitcoin and other crypto assets

CBDC stands for central bank digital currency. Loosely inspired by Bitcoin and other crypto assets, a CBDC is a digital representation of a national currency. Numerous central banks around the world are working on CBDCs. As of June 2021, China is ahead in development, with the nation’s offering already in the pre-public launch tria phase.

While the decentralized designs of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies free their users from financial censorship, there are fears that CBDCs will do the exact opposite. Rather than transacting on a public, open and permissionless blockchain, the most likely designs for CBDCs will be private and permissioned networks operated by central banks or national governments.

Such systems will likely give authorities access to more information about a nation’s citizenry and spending habits than ever before. Indeed, it would even be possible to exclude an individual from transacting with others entirely by simply blacklisting their wallet address across the network.

Despite clearly representing a threat to privacy, some crypto industry observers believe CBDCs will hasten the adoption of open, public blockchains. With CBDCs familiarizing citizens with purely digital currencies, it may be easier for the public to understand and value decentralized cryptocurrencies. Similarly, the process of exchanging a government-issued digital currency with an asset like BTC may be much more straightforward than it is with today’s fiat currencies.

Disclaimer

This content is provided for informational purposes only and may cover products that are not available in your region. It is not intended to provide (i) investment advice or an investment recommendation; (ii) an offer or solicitation to buy, sell, or hold digital assets, or (iii) financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Digital asset holdings, including stablecoins and NFTs, involve a high degree of risk and can fluctuate greatly. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances. Information (including market data and statistical information, if any) appearing in this post is for general information purposes only. While all reasonable care has been taken in preparing this data and graphs, no responsibility or liability is accepted for any errors of fact or omission expressed herein. Both OKX Web3 Wallet and OKX NFT Marketplace are subject to separate terms of service at www.okx.com.
© 2024 OKX. This article may be reproduced or distributed in its entirety, or excerpts of 100 words or less of this article may be used, provided such use is non-commercial. Any reproduction or distribution of the entire article must also prominently state: “This article is © 2024 OKX and is used with permission.” Permitted excerpts must cite to the name of the article and include attribution, for example “Article Name, [author name if applicable], © 2024 OKX.” No derivative works or other uses of this article are permitted.

Expand