According to the Business Review, the central bank official views cryptocurrencies as financial assets and nothing else. Consequently, cryptocurrencies ‘won’t be able to fulfill the basic roles of currency’. That being the case, Daianu argued, central banks will always have a role to play in society:
Cryptocurrencies will never be able to substitute the currency issued by a central bank.
The State as the Only Savior – Really?
Daianu went on to defend the state’s role in issuing currency saying that it was the ‘only possible last-resort lender’. In this regard, the central bank official implied that during a financial crisis, only the state can save the situation:
In markets, the state is the only possible last-resort lender. When the banking system was saved, it wasn’t crypto banks that were saved. Central banks intervened by issuing base currency, which was followed by non-conventional measures.
This statement is likely to get Daianu in trouble with crypto enthusiasts as the unhindered printing of money is what spawned cryptocurrencies as we know them today. The central bank official also revealed that centralized institutions are yet to understand the importance of the deflationary approach cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have taken. This was demonstrated by his statement that the central banks’ answer to cryptocurrencies is to issue a digital currency that can ‘multiply’!
CBDCs are Coming Nevertheless
Daianu was right though in saying that digital currencies are a foregone conclusion. A couple of central banks have already taken the first steps towards realizing this. Sweden’s central Riskbank last year announced a pilot program for the e-Krona would be rolled out this year. The central bank of Norway, Norges Bank, is also considering a CBDC as cash usage in the country declines.
The push for CBDCs has not just been driven by policymakers and central bankers but also by consumers. This was clearly demonstrated by a Twitter poll the Bank of England conducted late last year. According to the poll three-quarters of the respondents indicated that if they were to be gifted money they would prefer it to be in a digital currency form.
If you receive money as a gift at Christmas, what’s your favourite way to get it?
How will we use money in years to come? Join the #FutureForumBoE discussion at https://t.co/EKRXyJZp9d
— Bank of England (@bankofengland) December 17, 2018
Look who Agrees with the National Bank of Romania…
Daianu’s view that digital currencies issued by reserve banks will quell the clamor for cryptocurrencies or slow their uptake and adoption is in line with that of crypto skeptic Nouriel ‘Dr Doom’ Roubini. Last year in November, Roubini argued that cryptocurrencies will be vanquished by CBDCs.
My take on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). In spite of crypto zealots gloating about them, CBDC are the opposite of crypto & will bury crypto for good!
Why Central Bank Digital Currencies Will Destroy Cryptocurrencies by Nouriel Roubini @ProSyn https://t.co/RQEdIHBF30
— Nouriel Roubini (@Nouriel) November 19, 2018
At the time, Roubini argued that CBDCs held more advantages over cryptocurrencies including scalability and cost-effectiveness. Not everybody agreed with him.
CBDC won’t have the backing / following that the Crypto community offers. For any great new invention the masses decide the victor and Cryptocurrency liberates our ties to centralised control. It empowers us and it’s truly a force to be reckoned with. One day you will realise.. pic.twitter.com/xfyaybYW0w
— Robster Crypto? (@007_Robj) November 19, 2018