India wants BRICS members to discuss linking their CBDCs for trade and tourism at a future summit, according to a Reuters report. India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has reportedly proposed an initiative linking BRICS central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to facilitate cross-border trade and tourism payments. A Reuters report citing two anonymous sources claimed that the recommendation would place the idea of CBDC interoperability on the agenda for the 2026 BRICS summit, which India is scheduled to host. Reuters reported that the proposal, if accepted by the Indian government and BRICS partners, would be the first formal consideration of CBDCs within the bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Read more
Italian banks have endorsed the ECB’s digital euro project but called for implementation costs to be spread out over several years. Italian banks have expressed their support for the European Central Bank’s (ECB) digital euro initiative, but are calling for the implementation costs to be spread out over several years due to the financial burden it places on the sector. “We're in favour of the digital euro because it embodies a concept of digital sovereignty,” said Marco Elio Rottigni, General Manager of the Italian Banking Association (ABI), during a press seminar in Florence, Reuters reported on Friday. “Costs for the project, however, are very high in the context of the capital expenditure banks must sustain. They could be spread over time,” Rottigni added. Read more
China’s cabinet will review a roadmap that includes yuan-pegged stablecoins to bolster yuan internationalization, sources told Reuters. China, one of the most restrictive global jurisdictions for cryptocurrencies, is reportedly considering allowing Chinese yuan-backed stablecoins in what would be a major policy reversal. Chinese authorities may authorize yuan-backed stablecoins for the first time to promote global use of its currency, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. If approved, China’s plan for stablecoin use would mark a major shift in its approach to crypto after the country banned crypto trading and mining in September 2021. Read more