Discussion Paper.

Digital innovation is transforming money and redrawing the global financial landscape. From instant payments to stablecoins, CBDC, and tokenised assets, new technologies are redefining how value is created, stored, and exchanged – reshaping the roles of banks, central banks, and markets. Yet this transformation is far from uniform: while some economies are leaping ahead, others lag behind, and divergent views on the state’s role in money are creating tensions over sovereignty, control, and interoperability.

The crypto system is no longer a sideshow. Dollar stablecoins now put dollar claims into circulation well beyond the regulated US banking perimeter, and cryptoisation is beginning to transform the international monetary and financial system. This column argues that the changes crypto sets in motion will be shaped by institutions and technological innovation.

Wenn die Schweizerische Nationalbank den Leitzins ändert, bewegen sich auch die Hypothekarzinsen. Eine Langzeituntersuchung hat analysiert, wie schnell und wie stark Schweizer Banken ihre Hypothekarzinsen anpassen.

The $38 trillion U.S. Treasury debt is under close scrutiny by markets and academics alike. Assessing its sustainability, however, is far from straightforward. It wouldn’t be for any debtor — but it is particularly complex for the U.S. Treasury.

Industriepolitik erlebt weltweit ein Comeback. Die USA, die EU und China fördern gezielt bestimmte Branchen, Technologien und Produktionsstandorte mit milliardenschweren Programmen. Dahinter stehen geopolitische Spannungen, Fragen der Versorgungssicherheit und der globale Wettbewerb um Innovationen. Auch für die Schweiz stellt sich damit eine grundlegende Frage: Reichen gute Rahmenbedingungen weiterhin aus?

The eighth report in The Future of Banking series, part of the Banking Initiative at IESE Business School, examines the challenges digital technology poses to the framework governing money creation. Cash is disappearing from daily payments, private digital liabilities are expanding domestically and internationally, and public authorities are reevaluating the role of sovereign money.

Trump setzt auf Zölle, Europa auf Industriepolitik, China auf staatliche Lenkung. Wird die Schweiz zerrieben, wenn sie am liberalen Kurs festhält? Ganz im Gegenteil, ist Wirtschaftsprofessor Aymo Brunetti überzeugt.

Ultimately, the macroeconomic significance of CBDC is shaped by policy choices, and political economy determines whether CBDC becomes a significant factor. To understand CBDC policy, don’t just think macro — think political economy.  

With a legislative vote on the digital euro approaching, the debate around its design and implications is entering a critical phase. This webinar will take stock of where the current proposal stands, unpacking key features, open questions, and points of contention.