The European Union will introduce new rules within four years to make cross-border payments quicker and cheaper through the use of blockchain and crypto assets like stablecoins, two EU documents showed. The European Commission is due to set out its strategy for encouraging greater use of digital finance at a time when 78% of payments in the euro zone are in cash. It also wants a rapid shift to “instant” payments generally as pandemic lockdowns showed the growing role of cashless payments. The EU executive will present a draft law to clarify how existing rules apply to crypto assets and set out new rules where there ... (full story)