British authorities are exploring the possibility of creating a new digital currency that Treasury chief Rishi Sunak indicated could be known as “Britcoin”.
The Bank of England and the Treasury said Monday that they will work together to assess the benefits of a central bank digital currency, at a time when cash payments are generally on the decline, partly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The bank said the new currency, if it comes to pass, would be a new form of digital money for use by households and businesses and would exist alongside cash and bank deposits, rather than replacing them.
Digital currencies, which are only available in digital or electronic form, are already being explored or even implemented in several other countries.
With many proponents drawing inspiration from the success of Bitcoin and other so-called cryptocurrencies.
However, digital currencies, like the one being considered in the UK are different in a key sense to Bitcoin as they are issued by state authorities.
