Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua: In Conversation with Ian Woolford, Director of Money and Cash

The Central Bank Payments News team recently sat down with Ian Woolford, Director of Money and Cash at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand — Te Pūtea Matua, for an in-depth discussion on the reserve bank’s Future of Money work program.

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…

Bank of Ghana: Enabling MSME Growth Through FinTechs

The Bank of Ghana is committed to finding new and innovative ways through policy direction and projects, to promote the growth of MSMEs more than ever before. The Bank continues to support the industry as well as the FinTech ecosystem to bring more benefits…

BENEFIT Company: In Conversation with Shafaq Alkooheji, Head of Payments Services

ProgressSoft speaks with Shafaq Alkooheji, Head of Payments Services at the BENEFIT Company, about the development, launch, and adoption of e-cheques in Bahrain, part of the Central Bank of Bahrain’s broader digital transformation strategy.

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…

Bank Al-Maghrib: Steering the Evolution of Payments in Morocco

As part of the implementation of its 2019–2023 strategic plan, whose motto is “To be an efficient, innovative Central Bank and a force for change at the service of the country,” Bank Al-Maghrib strengthened in 2020 its positioning as a catalyst for innovation…

Central Bank of Eswatini National Payment Systems Vision and Strategy 2025

The Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) has been proactive in creating an enabling environment for innovation in digital financial services in response to consumer demands and changing market needs. This is evident with the release of the Practice Note for…

Central Bank of Montenegro: How to Boost Banking and Payment Innovation in a Small Developing Economy

Fostering innovation brings with it different challenges depending on the level of development, market size or even the geographic position of a country. When compared to the frontrunners, small markets face barriers that are much more challenging than…

Bank of Israel: Spurring Paytech Innovation in Smaller Developed Markets

In recent years, at the Bank of Israel we have resolved to lead game-changing initiatives in the payments space. Our intent is not only to close gaps that have emerged between Israel and the global payments scene, but also to proactively lead in areas…

Inside the Cambridge FinTech and Regulatory Innovation Programme

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) has successfully delivered online capacity building and education to more than 1,000 regulators and central bankers from 220 institutions in over 135 countries via its Cambridge FinTech and Regulatory…