Analysis of YouGov surveys commissioned by the Bank of England in connection with its ‘digital pound’ project.

Bank of England’s ‘consultation’ on the ‘digital pound’

We previously issued a paper on the YouGov surveys that the Bank of England commissioned to support its work on the ‘digital pound’, the outcome of which work is out for consultation.

We have responded to both the Consultation Paper and the accompanying Technology Working Paper.

Those responses are contained […]

Technology Working Paper accompanying the Bank of England Consultation Paper on the ‘digital pound’

Bank of England ‘consultation’ on the digital pound

We have analysed the Technology Working Paper which accompanies the Bank of England’s Consultation Paper on the ‘digital pound’, and responded to the survey.

You can download our responses to the survey questions here.

The UK’s ‘digital pound’, often referred to as ‘Britcoin’, will be a Central Bank Digital Currency […]

Bank of England consultation on the ‘digital pound’

‘Consultation’ on the digital pound

We have responded to this consultation, although it is a sham.

You can download our response here.

The points on which the Bank of England has chosen to consult are narrow, and avoid the most important questions about the ‘digital pound’, which can only be referred to tangentially in a response.

This […]

YouGov surveys commissioned for ‘Britcoin’ Digital Pound project

We have analysed the two YouGov surveys issued by the Bank of England and HM Treasury in connection with the public consultation on ‘Britcoin’: the plans for a UK Central Bank Digital Currency.

There is one survey for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, and one for Consumers.

They both consistently over-egg the current take-up of digital payments – […]

Digital payment failures – we need a viable face-to-face banking model

Our recent research paper on Britcoin examined several of the failures in the digital payments industry that have gone unresolved.

The paper is entitled ‘CAPTURE – BigTech and Digital Payment Giants dominate the committees evaluating the replacement of physical cash with ‘Britcoin’ – a UK ‘Central Bank Digital Currency’’.You can find a click-through to the full paper here:http://www.lyddonconsulting.com/capture-a-major-new-paper-on-the-committees-considering-a-uk-central-bank-digital-currency/

The digital payments industry seems to enjoy the […]

Digital payment failures – failed access to cash

Our recent research paper on Britcoin examined several of the failures in the digital payments industry that have gone unresolved.

The paper is entitled ‘CAPTURE – BigTech and Digital Payment Giants dominate the committees evaluating the replacement of physical cash with ‘Britcoin’ – a UK ‘Central Bank Digital Currency’’.You can find a click-through to the full paper here:http://www.lyddonconsulting.com/capture-a-major-new-paper-on-the-committees-considering-a-uk-central-bank-digital-currency/

There has been much noise from the government […]

The anti-cash lobby – Migrant Remittances and COVID-19

While the
anti-cash lobby are busy like performing seals applauding the supposed shift to
digital payment means that COVID-19 will usher in, a concern that has gone
under the radar is that it must be possible, during the pandemic, for
remittances to flow, and quickly, and without massive fee deductions, from
members of a community that wish to render financial […]

The anti-cash lobby – Migrant Remittances

Recent extent of spread of COVID-19

Migrant Remittances are associated with Money Services
Businesses (“MSBs”), where the migrant in question delivers cover for the
payment order in cash, and the MSB transfers the proceeds to the beneficiary,
typically friends and family in the country that is home to the counterpart
community of the one in the sender’s country to which […]

The anti-cash lobby – national or international authorities as fellow travellers

In a previous blog I cited, as fellow travellers of the
anti-cash lobby, national or international authorities charged with enabling
the meeting of UN Development Goals, and accepting that the way these will be
met is through Fintech, rather than on the back of cash.

A prime example of such a national organisation is the UK’s
DfID or the Department […]

The anti-cash lobby – principals

It must be absolutely obvious who are the principals in the campaign
to eliminate cash – it’s the card issuers and the card brands. Both have
serious financial interests in play.

In the UK the major banks have reduced their branch networks and with it their ATM estates – to cut costs. Theirs is a major cost reduction […]