Testing DLT-based Central Bank Solutions

Thursday 6th July 

With:

| Aniko Szombati, Chief Digital Officer, Magyar Nemzeti Bank

| Chris Ostrowski, Co-Founder and CEO, SODA

Guests Aniko Szombati, Chief Digital Officer Magyar Nemzeti Bank and Chris Ostrowski, Co-founder and CEO of SODA, joined FNA for Session #19 of the CBDC Broadcast, Testing DLT-based Central Bank Solutions.

In this session, we delved into the Central Bank of Hungary and SODA’s joint project on the use of digital solutions, including rCBDCs and NFTs, as we gained valuable insights into the pivotal role of public engagement and hands-on experiences in shaping the development and adoption of rCBDs by leveraging NFTs and coin collecting to improve the understanding and implementation of digital currencies.

Together, we explored how the Central Bank of Hungary is approaching adoption issues ahead of rolling out an rCBDC in an approach that cultivates the consumer use case for rCBDCs and prepares the public for the introduction of an rCBDC.

The Session Covered:

• The Central Bank of Hungary’s approach to launching an rCBDC and how it differs from the majority of current pilot projects
• The insights gained by implementing a blockchain-based ledger on its own infrastructure to test-drive digital solutions aimed at the public
• Lessons to share with other Central Banks considering the adoption of rCBDCs
• The public’s response to activities such as coin collecting and token swapping on the Money Museum mobile application and how it has developed and refined the rCBDC concept
• Whether the Central Bank of Hungary’s approach will foster the consumer use case for digital currencies and rCBDCs
• Potential future developments and trends in the realm of digital money, including rCBDcs and how they could shape the financial industry and society in Hungary and around the world.

Watch on-demand:

Session #19 Guests

		Aniko Szombati Chief Digital Officer, Magyar Nemzeti Bank   Anikó Szombati is the managing director responsible for digitization and FinTec development of the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, Chief Digital Officer. Anikó is an economist, graduated from Corvinus University, Budapest and joined the central bank in 2001. She is responsible for promoting digital transformation in the financial sector and within the central bank, including implementing cutting-edge technologies and research on CBDC.  Anikó is also a member of the Financial Stability Council.
		Chris Ostrowski Co-Founder and CEO, SODA   Chris has worked with central banks and public financial institutions for over a decade. While working for OMFIF in London Chris set up the Digital Monetary Institute (DMI), which soon became the world’s leading independent platform for convening central banks on CBDCs, digital payments, the DLT and blockchain. Since 2021 Chris has worked in web3, first at the Celo Foundation and now at SODA, which is uniquely positioned to create and deliver real life use cases for central banks and other public finance institutions as they test CBDC and blockchain technology.  Chris graduated from IE business school in Madrid, where he is now visiting lecturer and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

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