Digital currencies and fintech
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Identifying Financially Remote First Nations Reserves
Chen et al. (2021) show that almost one-third of First Nations band offices in Canada are within 1 kilometre (km) of an automated banking machine (ABM) or financial institution (FI) branch and more than half are within 5 km. -
Bitcoin Awareness, Ownership and Use: 2016–20
In this paper, we examine trends in Canadian ownership of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from 2016 to 2020 using data from surveys conducted by the Bank of Canada. -
Cash and COVID-19: What happened in 2021
Using data from the Bank Note Distribution System and consumer surveys, we find that bank notes in circulation remained high through 2021. Canadians continued to rely on electronic methods of payment, but a significant share also continued using cash for payments. -
Equilibrium in Two-Sided Markets for Payments: Consumer Awareness and the Welfare Cost of the Interchange Fee
We construct and estimate a structural two-stage model of equilibrium in a market for payments in order to quantify the network externalities and identify the main determinants of consumer and merchant decisions. -
March 16, 2022
Bank of Canada and Massachusetts Institute of Technology announce joint Central Bank Digital Currency collaboration
The Bank of Canada and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) today announced an agreement to collaborate on a twelve-month research project on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). -
What Drives Bitcoin Fees? Using Segwit to Assess Bitcoin's Long-Run Sustainability
We explore what drives transaction fees in the Bitcoin system and consider whether Bitcoin can remain tamper proof in the long run. -
Best Before? Expiring Central Bank Digital Currency and Loss Recovery
We consider introducing an expiry date for offline digital currency balances. Consumers whose digital cash expired would automatically receive the funds back into their online account. This functionality could increase demand for digital cash, with the time to expiry playing a key role. -
Predicting the Demand for Central Bank Digital Currency: A Structural Analysis with Survey Data
How much of a CBDC would Canadian households want to hold, and what design features of a CBDC would they care about? -
Central Bank Digital Currency and Banking: Macroeconomic Benefits of a Cash-Like Design
Should a CBDC be more like cash or bank deposits? An interest-bearing, cash-like CBDC not only makes payments more efficient but also increases total demand. This has positive effects on other transactions, inducing more deposit taking and lending and, thus, bank intermediation.