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AntiSocial: The 'digital pound'

The 'digital pound'

BBC Radio 4 - AntiSocial, The 'digital pound'

Would you swap cash for a central bank digital currency?

Central banks in the UK and elsewhere are considering digital versions of their currencies, but some fear it could lead to restrictions on how we spend our money.

A clip from the European Central Bank, talking about progress towards an electronic version of the euro, has sparked concern on social media. Some suggest new central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) like this - including a digital pound under consideration in the UK - are designed to track our spending, or even restrict it. And there are fears it could lead to the elimination of cash altogether. But others say CBDCs are a recognition of cash’s decline, providing an alternative, and that central banks need to keep up with changing financial technologies. So what exactly is a digital pound, how would people use it, and how different is it to the way we pay for things now?

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Peace talks for the culture wars. In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, Adam Fleming helps you work out what the arguments are really about.

Peace talks for the culture wars.
In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.

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