U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testified that a U.S. CBDC isn't in the near future, and he said the Fed wouldn't design one to spy on Americans (screen capture, Senate Banking Committee video)

U.S. Fed Chair Powell Says 'Nowhere Near' Pursuing CBDC, Won't Spy on Americans

Summary

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that the Fed is far from recommending or adopting a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and has no interest in a system where it would have access to user data. Powell emphasized that if the Fed were to consider a digital dollar, it would involve the banking system, not individual government accounts. He reiterated that specific authorizations from Congress and the White House would be required before moving forward with a digital dollar. This contrasts with China's approach, where the government can track user activity in its digital currency. Republican politicians, including Donald Trump, have criticized the idea of CBDCs, accusing the government of planning to spy on people's transactions.