As yet unsubstantiated rumours report that China is linking its digital renminbi cross- border payment system to the 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and six Middle East jurisdictions.

Auriga, which creates omnichannel banking software, has published a white paper on a net zero cash management strategy. The paper starts by raising the question of just how green digital payments actually are before going on to focus on cash.

In monetary exchange, holding money is evidence of past transactions of goods sold or services rendered. In effect, money can be seen as a record-keeping device. A monetary system needs a record of who has what and where it has moved.

A Centre for Economic Policy Research paper has focused on the need for central banks to be financially resilient.

This year Microsoft turns 50. Amazon is just over 30, Meta is 21 and the iPhone is just 18. Another organisation turning 18 this year, one that has had a major impact on payments, is M-Pesa. Payments:Unpacked recently ran an article from Jeremy Light’s Agenda:Payments newsletter2 celebrating M-Pesa’s milestone birthday.

A new OECD paper highlights the importance of balancing digital innovation with the enduring need for cash. By adopting comprehensive policies and initiatives, governments can ensure that all segments of society have access to reliable and secure payment methods, fostering financial inclusion and stability in the digital age.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has published an article on the evolution of video game payments infrastructure. As gaming has become big business, companies have changed how they monetise and distribute games to their customers, as well as adapted and evolved their payments infrastructure to support new revenue models. Changes in gaming payments represents a microcosm of what is happening in payments more broadly.

The Bank of England (BOE) is in the design phase of work on a digital pound (DP). As part of this phase, it is conducting experiments and proofs of concept in collaboration with private- sector innovators and a range of stakeholders.

Reconnaissance, working with Currency Publications, started a programme of sustainability-related projects at the end of 2021 with the publication of ‘Cash: A Roadmap to Sustainability’. Since then, we have continued a programme of work which has been made freely available in an effort to help reduce our industries environmental impact.

A new survey of central banks and state printing works in Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean has identified their environmental priorities. 42% of countries in the region replied, and their answers have been used to shape the agenda for a day dedicated to a workshop on Cash Sustainability on Monday 9 June in Rio de Janeiro. The event is being held in conjunction with the International Currency Association.

Currency Research (CR) is hosting the 2025 Digital Currency Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, 28-29 May 2025. Nearly 200 delegates from central banks, financial institutions, fintechs, and technology providers from across the globe will come together to discuss the rapidly evolving digital currency landscape. Now in its 4th edition, the Digital Currency Conference was previously held in Mexico City (2022), Washington, DC (2023), and London (2024).

Reconnaissance International has unveiled DataVault™, the industry’s first dedicated, searchable online database for banknotes and coins – designed specifically for currency professionals who need fast, reliable, and up-to-date information.

This is the title of a recently published study that is the third and final module in a series of studies in Germany looking at the ‘Costs and Benefits of Cash and Cashless Payment Instruments’.

In the US Marqeta is now working with Green Dot so that Green Dot’s money movement network allows customers and businesses the ability to deposit cash to bank accounts at more than 95,000 locations nationwide. Marqueta and Green Dot are fintechs.

‘In light of the deteriorating security situation in Sweden and our neighbouring region, both public and private actors need to urgently step up their efforts to create a payments market that can withstand disruptions,’ says the Riksbank governor.

Mark Carney is Canada’s new prime minister, chosen by the Liberal Party after the resignation of Justin Trudeau.

A paper by PCMI assesses opportunities for stablecoins in cross-border payments1. Stablecoins are blockchain-based digital assets pegged to a fiat currency and around $210 billion worth are in circulation, the largest issuers being Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC).

The Dutch National Bank (DNB) reported on the sustainability work of the Joint European Tender (JET) group at the Intergraf Currency+Identity conference. This is a tangible banknote specific example of an approach to using procurement to drive change.

The volume of cash in circulation in Armenia is continuing to increase despite the developments and rapid growth of non-cash payment methods. In connection with the above, the effective organisation of cash circulation is becoming a primary issue.

In January the European Central Bank made an announcement about stablecoins which led to some readers believing it had said stablecoin issuers would be able to back euro stablecoins with central bank reserves. A paper by the Bretton Woods Committee, while literally correct in what it said, also added to this misunderstanding. A clarification was issued.