Bio

Sebastian Hernandez is a Senior User Experience Specialist in the FinTech Research Department at the Bank of Canada. His research interests include accessibility of digital currency and payments.

Prior to joining the Bank he worked in the Aerospace and Defense field as a Human Factors Specialist on various projects including the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Project.

He received his M.Sc. In Applied Ergonomics and Human Factors from the University of Nottingham and a B.A.Sc. of Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Research Field(s): Digital Currency Fintech

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Staff analytical notes

A central bank digital currency for offline payments

Offline functionality is a key consideration for a potential CBDC. We describe the different types of offline functionality based on their duration outside of network connection—either intermittent (for short periods) or extended (for longer periods). We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of each and consider implications for end-user devices, system resilience and universal accessibility.

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