User anonymity is not a desirable design option for the digital euro, according to a presentation of the ECB, Unstoppable Finance development manager Patrick Hansen has said.
The “Privacy Options in the Digital Euro” paper outlines possible options for ensuring the privacy of CBDC users. The authors have noted the need to assess this issue “in the context of other EU policy objectives, in particular the fight against money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.”
He has indicated that the base scenario provides for intermediaries access to transaction data. According to the fourth slide of the presentation, the ECB considers the anonymity of digital euro users undesirable.
The expert has noted that at the moment it is not clear “what benefits the digital euro offers compared to existing digital means of payment.” He has encouraged community members to provide feedback on the design of Europe’s CBDC.
