Alongside other central banks, the European Central Bank (ECB) is currently exploring the potential of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Such a significant payment innovation requires compliance with the ECB's mandate based on the Treaties of the European Union, in addition to...

The experience of the Great Recession and its aftermath revealed that a lower bound on interest rates can be a serious obstacle for fighting recessions. However, the zero lower bound is not a law of nature; it is a policy choice. The central message of this paper is that with readily available...

The recent wave of financial innovation, particularly innovation related to the application of information and communication technologies, poses a serious challenge to the financial industry’s business model in both its banking and non-banking components. It has already revolutionised...