Singapore pilots next generation QR mobile payments service

Banners for Singapore's SGQR and SGQR+ enhanced interoperable common QR code payment schemes

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is testing an upgraded version of its SGQR unified QR payment code that will enable merchants to accept QR code payments made using a wider range of local and cross-border payment schemes through a single financial institution rather than having to maintain commercial relationships with individual payment scheme providers... More




Hong Kong Monetary Authority identifies three use cases where CBDCs can add unique value to payments

Tokenization of real estate assets figure showing one of Hong Kong Monetary Authority's use cases for CBDC

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has completed the first phase of Project e-HKD to develop a digital Hong Kong dollar and in the process has identified three use cases where the adoption of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) could facilitate faster, more cost-effective and inclusive payments and enable new types of economic transactions... More


ST sets out the benefits of NFC in healthcare and wellness applications

KNOWLEDGE CENTRE: A new white paper by STMicroelectronics that explains how suppliers of healthcare and wellness devices can use NFC technology to implement convenient and easy-to-use real-time patient monitoring, fitness tracking and medical product supply chain applications is now available to download from the NFCW Knowledge Centre... More


IATA completes first end-to-end contactless passenger journey

Woman at contactless biometric reader using end-to-end digital ID for air travel on international flight

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has successfully tested an end-to-end digital ID proof-of-concept (PoC) that enables air travellers to use biometric digital credentials to verify their identity at every stage of their journey – from purchasing a ticket to arriving at their destination... More





Australian university tests central bank digital currency for cash disbursements in emergency situations

CBDC pilot participants, including Southern Cross students and staff members

The Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ) has completed an eight-week pilot programme with Southern Cross University in New South Wales that has shown how organisations such as universities could provide immediate financial support using a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in emergency situations when ATMs and other payments technologies are unusable... More


European Central Bank launches next phase of digital euro project

Digital euro symbol and words

The European Central Bank (ECB) has completed the initial two-year investigation phase of its digital euro project and will now implement a two-year preparation phase that will cover the finalisation of a digital euro rulebook, the selection of providers to develop a digital euro platform and infrastructure, as well as testing and experimentation across a range of use cases for the central bank digital currency (CBDC)... More




Spanish banks find that digital euro can run on existing payment rails

A working group of 30 Spanish banks and payment services providers, including BBVA, Banco Sabadell, Banco Santander, CaixaBank and Iberpay, have completed a proof of concept (PoC) trial for digital euro transactions and recommended that the proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC) is designed to leverage existing payments infrastructure... More