Central Bank Digital Currencies: 91% of Central Banks Are Exploring

1Introduction

The BIS runs an annual survey of central banks on CBDCs, tokenisation and crypto. According to the 2024 survey, published in August 2025, 91% of the 93 central banks surveyed (85) were exploring a retail CBDC, a wholesale CBDC or both.

2Discussion

Wholesale CBDCs, used for settlement between banks and financial institutions, are on aggregate at more advanced stages than retail CBDCs for the general public.

A key driver is preserving the role of central bank money as cash use declines and tokenisation spreads. More than one in three jurisdictions also accelerated CBDC work in light of stablecoins and other cryptoassets.

3Conclusion

Designs and use cases vary by country; the common thread is keeping central bank money as the anchor of trust in future digital payments.