China Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Pilot Scope Expanded

The pilot scope of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) has been further expanded, with 10 additional cities joining the program, covering more application scenarios and accelerating the adoption of the digital yuan. This expansion is an important initiative by the central bank to promote the development of the digital RMB, aiming to test its performance across different regions and scenarios and accumulate experience for nationwide rollout.

Broader Pilot Coverage Across More Regions and Cities

The newly added pilot cities include several key cities in central, western, and northeastern China, creating a more balanced geographical distribution. By conducting pilots in areas with different economic structures, industrial patterns, and population densities, the central bank can more comprehensively evaluate the stability and adaptability of the digital RMB under diverse usage conditions.

Diversified Application Scenarios

In this expansion, application scenarios have been extended from traditional retail payments and public services to cross-border trade, supply chain finance, and digital governance. The inclusion of more complex scenarios allows for full-spectrum testing of the digital RMB in high-frequency small payments, large-scale enterprise settlements, and coordinated government service processes, providing essential insights for system optimization.

Cross-Border Trade Becomes a Highlight, Supporting RMB Internationalization

A key highlight of this expansion is the formal inclusion of cross-border trade scenarios. Free trade zones and cross-border e-commerce platforms in selected pilot cities will take the lead in testing digital RMB cross-border settlement, evaluating its security, efficiency, and international applicability in real-world trade flows.

Improving Cross-Border Settlement Efficiency

In cross-border use cases, the digital RMB can enable faster fund transfers, lower transaction costs, and higher transparency. Simplifying the settlement process may reduce cash-flow pressure for enterprises, offering tangible benefits to cross-border e-commerce and small foreign trade businesses.

Deepening Industry Collaboration, Accelerating Ecosystem Maturity

The central bank will strengthen collaboration with commercial banks, payment institutions, technology companies, and local governments to build a more robust digital RMB ecosystem. Through technical upgrades, standardized interfaces, and enhanced security frameworks, users can expect a more efficient, convenient, and stable digital RMB experience.

Enhancing User Experience and Financial Security

While the technical architecture continues to improve, the security system is also being reinforced through advanced encryption algorithms, enhanced privacy protection mechanisms, and stronger risk monitoring, ensuring high safety standards even in intensive usage scenarios.

Expert Insights: Accelerating Financial Digitalization and Strengthening Policy Effectiveness

Experts widely believe that the expansion of the digital RMB pilot will significantly enhance China’s financial digitalization, optimize the payment system, improve transaction efficiency, and reduce overall costs. Meanwhile, the digital RMB provides more accurate transaction data, enabling more precise and real-time macroeconomic policymaking.

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