Norway’s Central Bank to Test Technical Solutions for a CBDC Over Next Two Years

Norway’s Central Bank said on Thursday it is ready to move ahead and start testing technical solutions for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) over the next two years.

• In an announcement, Norges Bank said the motivation for research into CBDCs remains strong as many other central banks around the world are carrying out similar experiments.
• It has been four years since Norges Bank began researching CBDCs and the bank believes it is now ready for the next step, which involves “technical testing” with more in-depth analysis looking into the implications of launching a CBDC.
• The central bank said payment technologies have evolved at a rapid pace, and cash payments in Norway are now probably the lowest in the world.
• “Central bank cash provides the payment system with a number of important attributes that may be relevant to retain and develop further by issuing a CBDC. Additional knowledge is necessary for us to be able to decide whether issuing a CBDC is appropriate,” said Norges Bank Governor Oystein Olsen.
• No timeline has been revealed for when a CBDC will be launched in Norway, “any introduction of a CBDC will still lie some time in the future,” said the bank in a statement.
• Earlier this month, the Bank of Japan announced plans to begin phase one of experimenting with a CBDC by conducting experiments on the basic functions such as issuance, distribution, and redemption.
• Norway’s neighbor Sweden may have a CBDC within five years, according to Riksbank Governor Stefan Ingves.
• In the meantime, China has been testing platforms on which the digital yuan can be freely traded with other fiat currencies.

Read more: BOJ Starts Central Bank Digital Currency Experiments