Bank of Albania: In Conversation with Ledia Bregu, Part One

The Feature article in the August 2020 issue of Central Bank Payments News (CBPN) was authored by the Bank of Albania’s Ledia Bregu. At the time, Albania was less than half-way through its National Retail Payments Strategy, 2018–2023, an ambitious document…

SEACEN: Eye on The South East Asian Central Banks Research and Training Centre

Currently, SEACEN reaches out to 35 central banks (19 member central banks, 8 associate members, and 8 observers), and the Centre collaborates with 28 strategic partners in the areas of macroeconomic and monetary policy management, financial stability,…

Why CBDC is also a Commercial Bank Digital Currency

While the first two words of CBDC relate to central banks, they are not the sole stakeholders of the technology. But where do commercial banks and other financial institutions fit into this disruptive transformation, what will their role look like, and…

Payments in Kenya: Past, Present, and Future

In this series of articles, the Central Bank of Kenya explores recent developments in payments in Kenya, in line with the Bank’s vision of being A World Class Modern Central Bank. The country's payments ecosystem has undergone major developments and shifts…

Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo: In Conversation with Dardan Fusha, Director of the Department for Payment Systems

The Central Bank Payments News team recently caught up with Dardan Fusha, Director of the Department for Payment Systems at CBK, who filled us in on the implementation of CBK’s National Retail Payments Strategy, plans to enhance legislation and regulation…

The Big Differences Between CBDC and Mobile Money

When considering CBDC versus mobile money, the similarities between the two technologies outweigh their differences. Yet, CBDC is said to be different from any other type of payment instrument including mobile money, card payments, or electronic funds…

Afghanistan Digital Payments and the Rise of AfPay

The Afghanistan Payments System (APS) was spearheading the modernization of retail banking in the country—and was poised to ride that momentum well into the future—when the Afghan government collapsed in August 2021. Ahmad Shakir Wali, Managing Director…

Uzbekistan: Ensuring Stability of the Payment System

Over the last decade, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) has significantly modernized its payment systems and services to meet the preferences of businesses and consumers in the digital era. As in many jurisdictions across the globe, Uzbekistan’s digital…

India: Recent Developments in Payment and Settlement Systems

The Indian payments industry has witnessed remarkable growth, innovation and regulatory support over the last few years. Consequent to the demonetisation of high-value currency notes of ₹500 and ₹1000 in November 2016, the evolution of the digital payments…

In Conversation with Mark Gould, Chief Payments Executive, Federal Reserve Financial Services

Central Bank Payments News catches up with Mark Gould, a 30-year veteran of the Federal Reserve System and its first chief payments executive. In his new landmark role, Mark is responsible for leading the full range of cash and payment services provided…