IMF: eNaira, other crypto better than bitcoin

The IMF says central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) such as eNaira are a better bet than cryptocurrencies including bitcoins and other altcoins.

The IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, stated this, adding that the CBDCs were gaining momentum after moving from theoretical to practical explorations.

Georgieva stated, “In order to become familiar with the bits and bytes of digital money, central banks are getting to work.

“We don’t yet know how far and how fast CBDCs will go, since they are still in their infancy. As a result, central banks are building up their ability to harness new technologies – so that they will be ready for whatever lies ahead.”

There are about 100 or so countries that are exploring CBDCs with support from the IMF.

“In contrast to private digital currencies, CBDCs can potentially offer greater resilience, more safety, greater availability, and lower costs when designed prudently.

“Crypto assets, which are inherently volatile, are not backed by any government. It is possible that even the best-managed and regulated stablecoins cannot compete with a well-designed and stable central bank digital currency,” she said.

According to her, global central banks are committed to minimizing the detrimental effects of CBDCs on financial intermediation and credit provision. In order for the economy to function properly, this is imperative. The CBDCs we studied are not interest-bearing, which makes them useful, but not as attractive as traditional bank deposits as a vehicle for savings.

Several CBDC projects were examined in-depth in a recent IMF paper.

The IMF had previously raised concerns about crypto assets threatening financial stability and consumer protection and eating into banking sector market share.