Global trends are pointing to central bank-backed digital currencies (CBDCs) soon becoming standard. China started testing the “e-yuan” in February with an issue of 40 million yuan ($6.2 million). European officials reportedly plan to launch a digital euro within the next four years. The sand dollar currency, a digital version of the Bahamian dollar, launched earlier this year, becoming the first of its kind to be fully functional. US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have expressed interest in a digital dollar and will start testing different designs. Yellen pointed out that ... (full story)