We study the optimal design of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in an environment where agents sort into cash, CBDC and bank deposits according to their preferences over anonymity and security; and where network effects make the convenience of payment instruments dependent on the number of...

The financial technology (fintech) sector is revolutionizing traditional financial practices, yet little information exists on the users of these services. In this study, we examine untapped information from the 2015 National Financial Capability Study and the 2016 GFLEC Mobile Payment Survey to...

Improvements in technology, coupled with growing demand for digital payment methods, are increasingly reshaping the way payments are made. Non-bank institutions now offer a wide range of retail payment services. This raises the question of where the regulatory perimeter should be drawn....

This paper presents an analytical framework that describes the business model of banks. It draws on the classical theory of banking and the literature on digital transformation. It provides an explanation for existing trends and, by extending the theory of the banking firm, it illustrates how...

This paper investigates how the introduction of an interest-bearing central bank digital currency (CBDC) that serves as a perfect substitute for bank deposits as an electronic means of payment affects monetary policy pass-through. When the deposit market is not fully competitive, the CBDC tends...

We build a network formation game of firms with trade flows to study the adoption and usage of a new digital currency as an alternative to correspondent banking. We document endogenous heterogeneity and inefficiency in adoption outcomes and explain why higher usage may correspond to lower...