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Source: Bank of Korea to Restart CBDC Pilot Program

2025.12.21 20:32:17

On December 21, Decenter reported—citing unnamed sources—that the Bank of Korea (BOK) has recently sent a formal document to major local banks outlining plans for a second round of central bank digital currency (CBDC) testing. A BOK official noted, “Details including specific methodologies and timelines are currently under discussion.” The upcoming round is considering distributing a portion of government subsidies via CBDC, with the goal of restricting how the funds are used and cutting administrative and management costs tied to subsidy disbursement. Back in April, the BOK launched a three-month CBDC pilot involving seven participating banks, but later paused the project. At the time, the pilot faced criticism for its limited practical value and for imposing billions of Korean won in costs on the participating institutions.
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