Chinese employees can now be paid in the country's central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the Xiong’an New Area. What Happened: According to a report published Saturday on the official website of the Xiong’an New Area, the People’s Banck of China already completed the country's first wage payouts in its CBDC. This effort was a joint effort by the Shijiazhuang-based central bank branch, the Bank of China Hebei Xiong’an branch, and the National Development and Reform Commission. The CBDC transactions were carried out through a blockchain-based payment platform, paying employees working on the spring afforestation efforts in Xiong’an.