It can be noted that since the introduction of the CBDC in late 2022, there have been concerns about the privacy aspect, with some saying that the electronic nature will leave a trail of where all the currency has been used, unlike cash which offers anonymity.
Mumbai, May 6 (PTI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday said that permanent deletion of transactions can make the e-rupee or central bank digital currency (CBDC) become anonymous and make it at par with paper currency.
It is being issued in the same denominations as the paper currency and coins. It is being distributed through financial intermediaries, i.e. banks. Users are able to transact with e-rupee through a digital wallet offered by the participating banks. "We strongly believe it helps in cross border payments. It will bring in greater transparency and traceability.," Sitharaman said.
Investors would be able to purchase government securities and other bonds using digital currency in their wallets. This would have the twin benefit of widening digital currency usage beyond the simple merchant payments at present and also help boost retail participation in the government bond market.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the government and the Reserve Bank are actively involved in enhancing the central bank digital currency (CBDC) for cross-border payments. The RBI initiated a pilot project for wholesale CBDC with nine banks, and a retail version of CBDC or e-rupee was launched on December 1, 2022.