Tag: ASEAN

A full-scale, multiple central bank digital currency (mCBDC) network could potentially save global corporations up to $100 billion in transaction costs annually, according to a joint research report from Oliver Wyman and JPMorgan.

The report estimates that of the nearly $24 trillion in wholesale payments that moved across borders via the correspondent banking network each year, global companies incur more than $120 billion in total transaction costs. This excludes potential hidden costs in trapped liquidity and delayed settlements. “The case for CBDCs to address pain points in cross-border payments is very compelling. The bulk of today’s wholesale cross-border payments process remains suboptimal due to multiple intermediaries between the sending and receiving banks, often resulting in high transaction costs, long settlement times, and lack of transparency on the status of the payments,” said Jason Ekberg, partner, corporate and institutional banking at Oliver Wyman.

Critical elements

The research specifically outlines four critical elements required for mCBDC implementation, which include (i) the building blocks, from minting and redeeming of CBDCs to FX conversion and settlement; (ii) the roles and responsibilities of central banks, commercial banks, and service providers; (iii) the key design considerations covering data, technology, privacy, and credit extension; and (iv) the governance framework.

Naveen Mallela, global head of coin systems at Onyx, said: “Central banks around the world who are at various stages of CBDC development are considering how to build an infrastructure where systems operate and work together with the necessary controls in place. In this report, we put forward robust design considerations for a successful mCBDC network and demonstrate how it can be practically implemented, using ASEAN corridors as an example.”

Opportunities for participants

Acknowledging that a mCBDC network challenges traditional correspondent banking systems, the report cites opportunities for participants – commercial banks, payment operators, market makers and liquidity providers – to add new capabilities, and welcomes new stakeholders like technology providers and other third-party service providers.

“The development of CBDCs brings new tangible opportunities such as subscription-based mCBDC corridor access or smart contract-enabled cash management services. The ability to pivot effectively and quickly is key, and ultimately we aspire for a cross-border payments system that is transparent, inclusive and efficient for all parties across central banks, corporates, and commercial banks,” Mallela said.