Aren ’ t you that overpriced stuff social media influencers are plugging ? No , that ’ s CBD oil . I ’ m a Central Bank Digital Currency ( CBDC ). That sounds like Bitcoin . Is this another get-rich-quick scheme ? Not at all ! I ’ m the future . They said that about ‘ New Coke ’. You don ’ t think that easier cross-border transactions , greater financial inclusion , and improved stability for payments systems are to our advantage ? But I ’ ll need to create another type of account , right ? Nope . CBDCs function just like ‘ virtual cash ’. Just as you don ’ t need a bank in order to possess cash , so it goes with me . Okay , okay . I ’ ll take US $ 100 worth . I ’ m afraid the US hasn ’ t developed one yet . So far , countries like China , Sweden , and the Bahamas are leading the way . The UK recently started to research me , too . So why are you bothering me now ? Wake me up when you ’ re useful . I ’ m very lonely ...

� STARLING BANK Starling not only gained a $ 50m investment from Goldman Sachs but also joined with Funding Options to support SMEs with fast loans

� PLAID The US fintech managed to raise $ 425m in its Series D funding round . In one fell swoop , the company has doubled its total capital raised since it was founded in 2012

� CITI Citi simultaneously pledged US $ 1trn to sustainable finance and withdrew from 13 retail banking markets . It remains to be seen whether this is a consolidatory move as suggested

� PAYPAL In a bid to reclaim a share of the market from US companies , 30 banks and credit companies in the EU have proposed uniting . PayPal , as one of the world ’ s largest payment providers , is reportedly in the crosshairs

� CAIXABANK The Spanish FSI announced that it would be axing 8,000 jobs and closing down 1,534 branches . The shakeup came after its official merger with Bankia .

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