Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) development and deployment require careful consideration of privacy protection. While CBDCs offer benefits like lower costs, financial inclusion, and efficiency, they also pose privacy and data security concerns. As consumer demand grows, global regulators are enacting stricter data privacy laws. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation strengthens institutional accountability and enforcement of data protection.
What are CBDCs?
A digital national currency known as the CBDC is issued by a central bank that strikes a balance between transparency and privacy to safeguard user transactions. It seeks to stop illegal actions including money laundering and sponsorship of terrorism as well as undesired surveillance. To protect individual rights, a CBDC’s design and execution may differ depending on the legal, regulatory, and cultural environment of the nation that issues it.
CBDC systems employ a variety of privacy-preserving processes, such as:
1. Token-based CBDC: The central bank releases digital tokens, which represent the currency under this paradigm. These tokens, like currency, may be exchanged between users. To preserve privacy, the tokens are built in such a manner that the transaction history cannot be easily traceable. To conceal the transaction information, techniques like zero-knowledge proofs and ring signatures can be used.
2. Anonymous Transactions: CBDC systems can have anonymous transaction capabilities, which ensure that individual transaction data, including the sender, receiver, and transaction amount, are not connected to human identities. This can be accomplished by techniques like zero-knowledge proofs, ring signatures, and blind signatures.
3. Layered architecture: Systems for CBDCs are designed with a layered architecture, in which distinct levels manage different privacy and transparency-related issues. An upper layer or regulatory body, for example, might maintain supervision and access to transaction information for compliance needs, while the base layer concentrates on protecting privacy. By separating the two, privacy may be protected and regulatory obligations can be fulfilled.
4. Off-Chain Transactions: CBDC systems can facilitate off-chain transactions, which improves privacy. Off-chain transactions reduce the amount of transaction information visible on the public ledger by using secure channels or second-layer protocols. This method can use the security and effectiveness of the core CBDC system while offering an increased degree of anonymity.
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5. Selective Disclosure: During transactions, users deserve control over the data they share. Selective disclosure strategies enable users to provide just the transaction data required for validation while protecting personal information. This protects privacy while preserving transaction integrity.
6. Encryption and Confidentiality: CBDC transactions and user data may be protected using strong encryption techniques. End-to-end encryption ensures that only the parties involved have access to and interpret transaction data, prohibiting unauthorized access or surveillance.
7. Decentralization: CBDC systems may be constructed with a decentralized architecture, which reduces control concentration and increases privacy. By combining the previously described privacy-enhancing technologies, distributed ledger technologies, especially blockchain, may be used to construct a transparent and secure system while retaining user privacy.
8. Data Reduction: CBDC systems should use a data minimization strategy, storing or processing only the transaction data that is required. The danger of privacy breaches or information abuse can be mitigated by limiting the acquisition and keeping of personal data.
9. User Consent and Transparency: For data collection, use, and disclosure, CBDC systems should prioritize gaining informed user consent. Transparent rules and user-friendly interfaces need to be available to clearly describe how personal data is handled, allowing consumers to make informed privacy decisions.
World Economic Forum’s three basic principles
1. When collecting data, prioritize the best interests of people, particularly vulnerable people.
2. Limit the gathering of personal information to an important extent.
3. Data must be used for the exact purpose for which it was previously received.
Role of Zero-knowledge in CBDCs
Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) are used to validate transactions and expose information about a CBDC account balance that is lacking. They can assist the central bank in calculating interest payments or perks without exposing the amount of the account balance. ZKPs permit private transactions and allow the central bank to perform audits to obtain economic insights, making transactions more efficient and safe.
Managing financial crime and privacy in a world of CBDCs
CBDCs have to investigate legislation such as anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist funding to ensure data protection and effective anti-fraud actions. Balancing privacy and financial risk management is a challenging subject that necessitates a careful assessment of individual privacy while combating financial crimes. The balance between digital currency adoption and financial system integrity is crucial for building trust in the digital currency ecosystem. This requires careful planning, coordination, and a dedication to protecting privacy and eliminating financial fraud.
Concept of eCash 2.0
When it comes to central banks producing digital money, the eCash 2.0 concept has two tiers: first, a central bank does it through commercial banks, who then register consumers. Users must ask banks they currently have accounts with to obtain some CBDC placed in their digital wallets. Banks must finish their know-your-customer verification process and give the central bank a special authentication number before any money can be distributed.
