CBDC Development Necessary for US to Remain Competitive, says Congressman

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes joined CoinDesk TV’s “First Mover” live from I.D.E.A.S. 2022 in New York City to discuss why the U.S. should consider moving forward with a central bank digital currency.

AccessTimeIconOct 18, 2022 at 7:57 p.m. UTC
Updated May 9, 2023 at 3:59 a.m. UTC
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In an effort to remain a competitive player in the world of digital assets, the U.S. should look to push forward with the development of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot, said U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.).

Himes told CoinDesk TV’s “First Mover” the U.S. should continue to work on a CBDC so that if and when the time comes “we’ve got the option to move forward if we need to.”

“Why would you exit the game before you even know what the game is going to look like?” Himes said. “We could do the research. We could set up a pilot program for a CBDC.”

Rep. Himes is a speaker at Investing in Digital Enterprises and Assets Summit (I.D.E.A.S.), CoinDesk's newest event revealing the most scalable marketplaces in the digital economy that will attract institutional capital in the years to come.

CBDCs are considered to be a new and digitally native form of money, with pilot projects in countries such as Australia, Iran, Japan and even Russia beginning to take shape.

“We could shut it down,” said Himes, noting that the possibility that a CBDC will never be adopted in the U.S. “But the point is, since it is a technological innovation why not keep up with our peers, with our competitors and see where it goes.”

Himes – who currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy – said his support for a U.S.-based CBDC pilot project falls on the notion that he doesn’t want the U.S. to “get left behind,” and added that there is likely a market for CBDCs that appeal to certain populations.

“Why not build a CBDC platform upon which innovators could build payment systems, remittances [and] businesses,” Himes said. “It could serve as the platform for private sector innovation.”

Currently, said Himes, the U.S. is “nowhere” on the development of a CBDC project. A “huge political decision” needs to be resolved between lawmakers before any progress can be made, he added.

“If we were serious about it, we could move it pretty quickly,” said Himes. “We can do a lot of the setup before we actually push the button and say, ‘Hey, there's now a CBDC,’” Himes said.

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CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Fran Velasquez

Fran is CoinDesk's TV writer and reporter.


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