ECCB Wins Global Award for DCash Project
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has captured the Central Banking Publications FinTech and RegTech Global Award for its pioneering DCash Project.
The FinTech and RegTech Global Awards celebrate the innovations and achievements of central banks and technology partners around the world, in the areas of financial and regulatory technology.
The ECCB’s DCash Project, which was developed with technology partner Bitt Inc., and successfully launched on 31 March during the COVID-19 pandemic, received the award for Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Infrastructure. The award recognises CBDC proof-of-concept or pilot, which has been designed for the purpose of either financial inclusion, payment efficiency, or transition towards a less cash reliant society.
In his acceptance speech, Governor of the ECCB Timothy N. J. Antoine said, “Financial inclusion and empowerment are at the heart of our innovation, DCash.” He said, “This award will encourage and energise us as we press forward on our transformation agenda.”
The DCash Project was developed with the objective of increasing financial inclusion, growth and resilience in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) by directly addressing some of issues with the region’s payment methods and banking services such as high costs and inefficiencies. Through the DCash Project, the ECCB has created infrastructure through which users of the DCash App can pay merchants or send digital EC funds, DCash, to other users of the App, in mere seconds, using a smart device.
The DCash project is one of ECCB’s strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring a strong, diversified and resilient financial sector.
DCash has been in public circulation in four of the eight ECCB member countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis and Saint Lucia, since 31 March. It will be rolled out in the remaining ECCB member countries, Anguilla, Commonwealth of Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, by September.
To view the entire Central Banking FinTech & RegTech Global Awards 2021 virtual ceremony click here: https://www.centralbanking.com/awards/7844141/central-banking-fintech-regtech-global-awards-2021-virtual-ceremony
