Digital currencies and fintech

• September 12, 2025

  The evolution of how we pay for things

  

  New technologies new payments possibilities. Learn more about how these innovations can make purchases easier, but also introduce new risks.

  Content Type(s): Publications, The Economy, Plain and Simple Research Topic(s): Cyber security, Digital currencies and fintech, Digitalization, Financial services, Payment clearing and settlement systems, Retail payments supervision

• Dynamic Consumer Cash Inventory Model

  Staff Working Paper 2025-22 Kim Huynh, Oleksandr Shcherbakov, André Stenzel

  We study consumer cash inventory behavior by developing a dynamic model of forward-looking consumers and estimating structural parameters of the model using detailed consumer survey data. Consumers facing holding and withdrawal costs solve a discrete-time continuous-control dynamic programming problem to optimally use cash at the point of sale.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Bank notes, Digital currencies and fintech, Econometric and statistical methods, Financial services JEL Code(s): D, D1, D12, D14, E, E4, E41, E42, G, G2, G21

• 2024 Methods-of-Payment Survey Report: Cash in an Era of Alternatives

  Staff Discussion Paper 2025-12 Marie-Hélène Felt, Anna Chernesky, Angelika Welte

  We present core findings from the 2024 Methods-of-Payment Survey, highlighting results from both the survey questionnaire and three-day shopping diary. Although cash holdings have increased in nominal terms, we find that cash usage remains unchanged since 2020. Mobile and other alternative payment methods continue to grow in importance.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Bank notes, Digital currencies and fintech, Financial services JEL Code(s): D, D8, D83, E, E4, E41

• On the Programmability and Uniformity of Digital Currencies

  Staff Working Paper 2025-18 Jonathan Chiu, Cyril Monnet

  Central bankers argue that programmable digital currencies may compromise the uniformity of money. We develop a stylized model to examine this argument and the trade-offs involved in circulating programmable money.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Digital currencies and fintech, Payment clearing and settlement systems JEL Code(s): E, E5, E50, E58

• A Retail CBDC Design for Basic Payments: Feasibility Study

  Staff Discussion Paper 2025-9 Sriram Darbha, Cyrus Minwalla, Rakesh Arora, Dinesh Shah

  We outline possible system architectures for an online retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) and identify one well-suited for basic payments. We analyze OpenCBDC 2PC, a representative system, finding such designs to be feasible, although some areas require further investigation. Our framing highlights other promising architectures for a retail CBDC.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Central bank research, Digital currencies and fintech JEL Code(s): E, E4, E42, E5, E51, O, O3

• Liquidation Mechanisms and Price Impacts in DeFi

  Staff Working Paper 2025-12 Phoebe Tian, Yu Zhu

  This paper theoretically and empirically examines the price impacts of liquidations in DeFi and how different liquidation mechanisms affect the price impacts.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Digital currencies and fintech JEL Code(s): D, D4, D44, D47, G, G2, G20, G3, G33

• Risk-Free Uncollateralized Lending in Decentralized Markets: An Introduction to Flash Loans

  Staff Discussion Paper 2025-6 Jack Mandin

  A flash loan is a special type of uncollateralized loan with zero default risk. I document the use for flash loans across major blockchains that are Ethereum-Virtual-Machine-compatible. Flash loans expand access to liquidity, and highly sophisticated actors use them for many practical applications.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Digital currencies and fintech, Financial markets JEL Code(s): G, G0, G1, G2

• Canadian Bitcoin Ownership in 2023: Key Takeaways

  Staff Discussion Paper 2025-4 Daniela Balutel, Marie-Hélène Felt, Doina Rusu

  The Bitcoin Omnibus Survey is an important tool for monitoring Canadians’ awareness and ownership of bitcoin and other cryptoassets over time. In this paper, we present data highlights from the 2023 survey.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Bank notes, Digital currencies and fintech, Econometric and statistical methods JEL Code(s): C, C8, C81, E, E4, O, O5, O51

• Tech Reluctance: Fostering Empathy for Canadians Facing Challenges with Digital Systems

  Staff Discussion Paper 2025-2 Sebastian Hernandez, Helena Wang, Badr Omrane, Vera Roberts, David Pereyra

  We find that individuals who require help performing banking tasks or who are reluctant to adopt technology avoid digital payment systems they expect to lack usability. Addressing these issues through standard accessibility practices, live assistance and thoughtful interface design can enhance user interaction and trust.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Accessibility, Bank notes, Central bank research, Digital currencies and fintech, Digitalization, Financial services JEL Code(s): A, A1, A14, C, C9, C90, D, D8, D83, O, O3, O33, Y, Y8, Y80

• Privacy-Enhancing Technologies for CBDC Solutions

  Staff Discussion Paper 2025-1 Rakesh Arora, Han Du, Raza Ali Kazmi, Duc-Phong Le

  Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) could offer solutions to safeguard end-user privacy and meet rigorous data protection standards for central bank digital currencies. We consider how PETs can transform privacy design in financial systems and the implications of their broader adoption.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Central bank research, Digital currencies and fintech, Financial system regulation and policies, Payment clearing and settlement systems JEL Code(s): E, E4, E42, O, O3, O31