According to an Oct. 15 report from The Canadian Press, Timothy Lane, deputy governor of the Bank of Canada, or BoC, said central banks should have their own digital currency ready should regulators block Facebook’s Libra token. He also noted that such an asset is important as a possible solution for the economic realities of COVID-19.
Lane spoke at an online panel discussion hosted by the Central Bank Payments Conference, stating that the Bank of Canada has been developing a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, at "a good pace." He said the bank would need to hold consultations regarding what Canadians expected from a digital currency, but added Facebook (NASDAQ:FB)'s efforts introducing Libra could help improve cross-border payments. He additionally noted that it could help unbanked and underbanked people become part of the global economy.