In conclusion, the debate on the digital euro is not so much a technocratic and legislative affair as a defining political moment in the history of Europe’s money and payments system. It is an opportunity to redefine the future of money, payments and financial intermediation in a way that is in line …

The rapid growth of FinTech (financial technology) companies has brought significant transformation in the global financial landscape (Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), 2021). This disruption is intensifying after the COVID-19 pandemic (International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2022). The decentralized …

Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system. https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf outlined an alternative to the current monetary system in which banks are replaced by a peer-to-peer system to issue and transfer digital money: the Bitcoin. While Bitcoin has attracted a substantial …

In recent years, the debate about the design of the monetary system has become increasingly prevalent. A major topic within this debate is central bank digital currency or CBDC for short. A survey by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) shows that in 2022, nine in ten central banks (CB) explored …

The recent bank collapses and bailouts highlight the fragility of the banking system and our bank deposits. The digital euro is an opportunity to reconfigure our monetary system to serve the interests of people and society, by making money safer and more inclusive. However, the European Central Bank’s …

In the aftermath of the systemic financial crises of 2007-9, several scholars argued that the problem of systemic financial crises is not well understood. At the same time, the introduction of digital technologies led to new threats and opportunities for the design of the monetary and financial system. …

The outbreak of the Eurozone economic crisis in 2008 caused one of the most difficult challenges in the history of the European Union. Output and employed decreased and faith in the European project diminished. Leading European policy makers identified fiscal irresponsibility by some member states as …

The monetary system is losing its reliability. Currencies, money, shells or gold where invented to make transactions transparent and secure. It was needed to bridge time and distance, so that we could specialize and overcome scarcity. Because of the free exchange of knowledge on production, distribution …