This paper addresses recently raised concerns that cryptocurrency protocols are not quantum computer proof. We present clear evidence that attacks on bitcoin using quantum computers are not viable in terms of economic costs. The economic argument is presented under two strong assumptions: (i)...

We discuss several uses of blockchain (and, more generally, distributed ledger) technologies outside of cryptocurrencies with a pragmatic view. We mostly focus on three areas: the role of coin economies for what we refer to as data malls (specialized data marketplaces); data provenance (a...

Motivations for introducing a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) could range from a rapid decline in the use of physical cash or financial inclusion strategies to an underdeveloped retail payment market. The COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of global stablecoins proposals have...

Providing bank notes is one of the Bank of Canada’s core functions. The Bank is therefore interested in whether cash is adequately distributed across society, and this also influences the Bank’s thinking on issuing a central bank digital currency. We provide a perspective on these issues by...